Sesame Garlic Long Beans

Not only does this vegetable dish cook up quickly, but it's also a nice change from the standard green beans. A little spicy, definitely savory and pretty on the plate. Here you see the long beans tied in knots and served along with soy-marinated chicken breasts.

Sesame Garlic Long Beans

1 lb long beans (or green beans)
3 cloves garlic
½ tsp red pepper flake
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp dark sesame oil
1 Tbsp white sesame seeds (toasted or raw)

Bring a pot of salty water to a boil, and blanch the long beans until they are crisp tender with an emerald green color. Shock in icy cold water to stop the cooking process, drain and set aside. You may tie bunches of 3-4 long beans together into knots for a pretty presentation.

Heat olive oil and sesame oil in a large skillet or on a flat top. Toss the long beans, garlic and pepper flake in the oil and cook until the garlic is tender and begins to brown. Remove to serving dish and sprinkle with sesame seeds.