Chilled or room temperature, use this as a salad or a side for a refreshing, no fuss holiday dish. You can prepare it ahead of time and assemble just before serving. So so good…
Ingredients…
3 large handfuls garden fresh green beans, washed and stems removed
1 cup sliced almonds
Pomegranate Salsa… see recipe below
At least an hour ahead of time…
Steam the green beans for 5 minutes or so… until vibrant green and al dente to the bite. Remove beans from heat and shock them in ice water to stop the cooking. When beans are cool, drain in a colander and let them air dry on the counter or in the fridge.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Put 1 cup of sliced almonds in a dry Lodge cast iron skillet or other heavy bottom pan. Place on the middle shelf in your preheated oven and bake until they turn toasty brown and begin to smell delicious.
For the Pomegranate Salsa Gently Mix Together…
2 cups pomegranate seeds
2 shallots, diced finely, soaked in lime juice for 15+ minutes and drained
6 fresh mint leaves chiffonade or sliced thinly
Generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
The juice of ½ freshly squeezed lime
The juice of 2 freshly squeezed clementines
Pinch of vanilla sugar
Maldon sea salt flakes
Freshly ground white and black peppercorns
To Assemble…
In a large wide-bottom serving bowl add chilled green beans. Toss gently with clean hands or tongs. Season veggies with Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper. Toss gently again.
Drizzle veggies with olive oil and anoint with a generous splash or two of clementine juice. Toss gently again.
Add a generous handful of toasted almonds. Toss gently again.
Serve on chilled salad plates adding more almonds to garnish as desired.