Green Beans With Almond Pesto Food

BLISTERED GREEN BEANS WITH TOMATO-ALMOND PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Roast tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, turning once, until blistered and lightly charred, 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Finely chop almonds in a food processor. Add garlic, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, cayenne, and half of tomatoes; pulse to a coarse pesto consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add half of beans; cook, undisturbed, until beginning to blister, about 2 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, 7-9 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Spread beans out on a platter; let cool. Repeat with remaining vegetable oil and beans.
• Toss beans with pesto; season with salt and pepper if needed. Add remaining tomatoes and transfer to a platter.
• Do ahead
• Dish can be made 3 hours ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature. Toss and adjust seasoning just before serving.

PENNE WITH ALMOND PESTO AND GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• Pulse garlic, basil, 1/2 cup almonds, and 1 tsp. salt in a food processor until combined. With the motor running, slowly add oil and pulse again until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Cook penne in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, and add green beans 30 seconds before pasta is al dente. Drain pasta and green beans, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid, and add to pesto. Stir vigorously and add pasta cooking liquid as needed to fully coat. Season with salt.
• Transfer pasta mixture to a serving bowl or platter and top with Parmesan and remaining 2 Tbsp. almonds. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

GREEN BEANS WITH ALMOND PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Trim green beans — I find using kitchen shears the quickest way — and cook beans in boiling water until crisp tender, about 3 to 4 minutes for regular green beans or 2 to 3 minutes for the skinnier “haricot vert” variety. Plunge in an ice water bath to fully cool. Drain and pat dry. (If you have no patience for the precision of ice water baths, take the green beans out a full minute early as they will continue cooking as they cool.) In food processor, grind almonds, cheese, garlic, thyme, pepper and salt to a coarse paste. Add vinegar, and pulse again. Stir in oil and adjust seasonings to taste. Toss cooled green beans with almond pesto. Drizzling with extra olive oil for a fresh glisten. Dig in. Serving suggestions: a mix of cherry tomatoes, grilled bread drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with a halved garlic clove or even grilled sausages.