Green beans with red pepper and garlic
From The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook
Serves 6
1 lb green beans, stems trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper (capsicum), seeded and cut into julienne
1/2 teaspoon chile paste or red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
handful sliced almonds (optional)
Cut the beans into 2-inch (5cm) pieces. Bring a large saucepan three-quarters full of water to a boil. Add the beans and blanch until they turn bright green and are tender crisp, about 90 seconds. Drain the beans and plunge into an ice-water bath or rinse them heavily with very cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and toss and stir for 1 minute.
Add the beans and saute for 1 minute longer.
Add the chile flakes or paste and and garlic and cook for one minute longer. The beans will be tender and bright green.
Drizzle with a touch of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and (if you've omitted the chili pepper flakes) garnish with the sliced almonds. Serve immediately.