Garlicky Marinated Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 T balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic
- 9 fresh basil leaves (divided, 3 for marinate, 6 for tossing)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 large tomato
Instructions
THE DAY BEFORE
- Prepare the vegetables - Wash, destem and string the beans, if necessary. Cut them into approximately 2 inch pieces. Peel and smash the garlic. Finely chop 3 of the basil leaves.
- Steam the beans - Steam the beans for 3 - 5 minutes. Drain immediately.
- Make the marinade - While the beans are steaming, whisk together the oil, vinegar, smashed garlic, and basil.
- Marinate the beans - Place the drained beans in a large ziplock bag while still warm, and pour the marinade over them to coat. Close the bag, removing most of the air. and massage the beans in the marinade. Place the bag in a bowl (in case the bag leaks), and refrigerate overnight.
BEFORE SERVING
- Bring the beans to room temperature - pull the beans out of the refrigerator about an hour before you plan to serve them, to allow them to come to room temperature. If you're feeling nice, you could massage them a time or two, to ensure that they're thoroughly bathed in the marinade.
- Prep the tomato and more basil - chop the tomato into large chunks and salt them generously. Give the tomatoes a chance to rest for about ten minutes. Chiffonade more basil.
- Toss and serve - pour the marinated beans into your serving bowl, top with the tomato and basil, and toss to combine.
