Butter wrinkled green beans

I must share this amazing green bean recipe with you. I've seen these wrinkled beans before but I have never cooked them myself. They are boiled very briefly in very salty water and then fried in butter for about 7 minutes whereby they become wrinkled due to the salt content and brown and crisp on the outside while the interior remains soft. I think they must work on the same principle as the famous wrinkled potatoes (papas arrugadas) of the Canary Isles which are also boiled in very salty water and then left to sit and wrinkle while the water evaporates.

 

To my mind these look like some exotic grass or maybe asparagus that have been charred on a barbecue or even those Spanish grilled leeks called calcots, dug up when still young and then buried again to retain their sweetness and white colour. The Spanish go crazy for them, tearing away their black charred outer layers with blackened fingers and literally dropping the tender insides into their mouths to be eaten with Romesco sauce. I have never partaken in this ritual but these beans had the same charred outer flavour and tender insides. I could almost imagine being there.

Recipe : Butter wrinkled green beans

Adapted from The Low Carb Gourmet by Karen Barnaby

1/2 cup green beans

1 tbsp salt

1/4 cup butter

Bring a large pan of water to boil and add the salt. Boil the beans for about 4 minutes until almost soft and bright green. Remove and drain. Heat the butter in a pan over medium heat until hot and frothy and add the beans. Fry the beans for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently until they are wrinkled on the outside and soft inside. They should taste pleasantly salty with a crunch and meltingly soft interiors.