Green Beans with Summer Savory

Green Beans with Summer Savory

Summer savory is a culinary herb. It was first introduced to me while at Grandpas Farm and Pet store which now sells vegetables and plants. I was talking to “grandma” and she told me that I had to buy the savory, and then she added; “it is a kitchen staple after all and goes great with green beans". So I left with my new found herb and starting googling what is summer savory. What I found out surprised me. Savory is part of the mint family and the flavor is hard to describe. Someone writes that it taste a little like thyme, while another says that it reminds them of marjoram. I also learned that if you let the plant flower it will re-seed itself and come back the next year and it is supposed to be an easy plant to start from seed.

Summer Savory

The preparation was simple; first I blanched the green beans about 4 minutes and set them in an ice bath, next I sautéed the beans with olive oil, garlic and the summer savory and finished with a touch of salt. The end result was delicious, they were a tad crisp with lots of flavor. They are good warm or cold and even make a great snack. By the way..... I think savory tastes more like marjoram.

Ingredients:

1 pound green beans (trimmed)
1 shallot (minced)
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon fresh savory
Salt to taste

Preparation:

In a large pot boil water then add green beans and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. (you want them to be crisp-tender). Drain and place in an ice bath until cool. Drain and pat dry.
In a large skillet add olive oil and shallots, sauté about 2 to 3 minutes, until tender. Add green beans and savory, tossing to coat. Taste, season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.