Green Beans Almondine

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully add the green beans and blanch for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they are slightly tender but still crisp. You are going to finish cooking them in a skillet, so make sure you don’t blanch them for too long.

Drain and plunge the green beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process, this will also help the green beans keep their vibrant green color. Drain, and transfer to a clean towel to dry.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the almonds and sauté until golden brown, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Watch them closely so you don’t burn the almonds.

Reduce the temperature to low and add the shallot and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

Add the green beans to the pan and sauté over medium heat for 2 to 4 minutes, until the green beans are tender.

Remove the pan from the heat and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir in the almonds and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.