Beans are in season! And corn. And all sorts of other lovely stuff. But today I'm talking about the beans.

When they're lovely and fresh like this, they really don't need much done to them. They're great enjoyed raw (maybe with a little dip or dressing on the side). Or just quickly steamed or sautéed.

This recipe actually only called for a bit of salt and oil, but I really love garlicky green beans, so I added just a touch of garlic paste to them as well.

I also cooked them for way less time than the recipe called for. It suggested blanching them in salted water for 5 minutes before sautéing them with an alarming amount of salt. I cut the boiling time down to ~90 seconds, used only a small amount of salt, and, as noted, added a bit of garlic to them mix as well. They came out great! I mean, they weren't the star of the show or anything, but they were very nice and everyone seemed to enjoy them. So that's a success in my books!

Sautéed Green Beans

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 250g fresh green beans, ends trimmed
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. garlic paste
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt

Directions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the beans.
2. Boil for 1-2 minutes, then drain and shock under cold water.
3. Heat the oil over medium heat.
4. Add the beans, garlic, and salt and sautée until beans begin to brown slightly (3-5 minutes).