Sauteed Green Beans

This summer, I’ve gotten quite a few green beans in my CSA boxes. As a kid, I really didn’t like green beans. I’ve learned to like them as an adult, but I still wasn’t sure what to do with so many green beans! I did make the delicious warm green bean salad back in August, but I have also been experimenting with quick and easy ways to make green beans as a side dish. My favorite so far is to sautee them. It’s very simple yet tasty!

Serves: 2 as a side

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• green beans– however many you expect to eat. About 2 cups is good for 2 people. Snap the ends off and wash them before you begin.
• 1 Tbsp olive oil (I like to use flavor-infused olive oil to add interest. Lemon olive oil is one of my favorites)
• bowl of ice water
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1) Bring a pot of water to a boil. You need enough so that the green beans will be completely submerged. Add a pinch of salt.

2) Add the green beans to the boiling water and boil for about 2 minutes. The green beans will be bright green.

3) Drain and immediately dump the green beans into the bowl of ice water. Let it sit while you heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in a nonstick skillet.

4) When the olive oil is hot, drain the green beans again and dry off as best you can. Put the green beans in the skillet. Stir a bit as you sautee them. You want them hot and a bit crispy. This takes around 5 minutes.

5) Remove from heat and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Corn Fritters

This is the last post (for now!) in my Southern-inspired recipe series. The past month or so, I’ve been getting corn EVERY week in my CSA box. I love corn as much as anyone, but I can only eat so much boiled corn on the cob. SO—I’ve been experimenting!! These are corn fritters. Not so healthy perhaps, but interesting and different compared to how we usually eat corn here in the North. Not to mention they are delicious!

adapted from Taste of the Lowcountry

Serves: 6-8 as a side or appetizer

Time: about 30 minutes total

Ingredients:

• 3 ears corn, kernels cut off and cob scraped with the back of a knife to release its juices
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup grits
• 2 Tbsp baking powder
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 or 3 green onions, sliced
• canola oil
• salt

Directions:

1. Whisk together the egg and milk. Add grits, baking powder, and flour. Stir and then add corn, juice from the cobs, and green onions. Stir to combine.

2. In a nonstick pan, pour oil just to cover the bottom. Put over medium heat until hot (shimmering, a pinch of flour sizzles when you drop it in). Use a tablespoon to pick up some batter and drop it into the oil. After a few minutes, flip the fritters. You want them to be golden brown on both sides. When they are done, carefully remove them from the pan and let them dry a bit on paper towels. Lightly sprinkle with salt. Enjoy!