Description
A bright and flavorful side dish featuring sautéed broccolini and green beans infused with lemon and garlic, enhanced with sweet currants and crunchy toasted almonds. Perfectly crisp-tender and ready in just over 20 minutes, this dish offers a balance of tangy, savory, and nutty elements ideal for any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit and Nuts
- 2 tablespoons dried currants
- ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
Vegetables
- 1 bunch broccolini (scant ½ lb), tough ends removed
- ¾ lb green beans, tough stem ends removed
- 1 lemon, strips of peel removed and cut in half
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
Other Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup water
- 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice
- sea salt, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Soak Currants: Place the dried currants in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them soak and plump up for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- Infuse Olive Oil: Heat an 11-inch skillet with high sides over medium heat. Add the olive oil along with lemon peel strips and smashed garlic cloves. When the oil starts sizzling, swirl it gently and allow the lemon peel and garlic to infuse the oil for about 1 to 2 minutes without browning the garlic. Carefully remove the lemon peels and garlic with a spoon, reserving the lemon peel as a garnish if desired.
- Sauté Vegetables: Return the infused oil to medium heat. Add the broccolini and green beans together, stir to coat with oil, and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. As the vegetables start turning bright green around the edges, pour in the water which should cause sizzling and steaming, then cover with a lid.
- Steam Vegetables: Let the vegetables steam under the lid until they are crisp-tender, approximately 10 minutes. Remove the lid and allow any excess water to evaporate off.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in 2 teaspoons of lemon juice along with the soaked currants. Adjust seasoning as needed with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice. Transfer the vegetables to a serving platter, top with toasted almond slices, and garnish with reserved lemon peels if you wish. Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
- For best flavor, do not brown the garlic during the oil infusion as it will become bitter.
- Use fresh broccolini and green beans for optimal texture and taste.
- To toast almonds, heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until golden and fragrant, stirring frequently.
- Currants can be substituted with raisins or dried cranberries for a slightly different sweetness profile.
- If you prefer a spicier dish, add a pinch of red pepper flakes while sautéing the vegetables.
- This recipe pairs well with grilled chicken or fish for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
