From Chef/Co-owner Keith Vanetti, Saint Martha, Warren
This recipe is a delicious way to eat your veggies in spring!
While pole beans are in season in late spring/summer, they can be swapped out for sugar snaps peas if you’re cooking in early spring.
Spring Beans with Crispy Garlic and Leeks
From Chef/Co-owner Keith Vanetti, Saint Martha, Warren
Ingredients
Crispy Garlic and Leeks:
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup rice flour
- 1 trimmed leek halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup neutral oil
- Kosher salt such as Diamond Crystal
Pole Beans:
- 1 pound pole beans or sugar snap peas, trimmed
- 1 shallot peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon stock or water
- 1 tablespoon chopped dill
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ fennel bulb trimmed and thinly sliced
- 3 mixed-color radishes trimmed and thinly sliced
- Edible flowers for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix cornstarch and rice flour. Rinse the cut leek well to remove any dirt and dry in a clean cloth. Blanch garlic in salted water for 1 minute. Strain and lay on a paper towel. Toss sliced leeks in flour mixture to lightly coat. In a heavy-bottomed sauté pan, heat oil until shimmering. Add the leeks, stirring occasionally until light brown and crispy. Remove and place on a paper towel. Salt to taste. Add garlic, cooking until light brown, watching carefully not to burn. Remove to a paper towel and season with salt.
- Blanch the beans in salted boiling water for 1–2 minutes, until tender-crisp; drain and place in a bowl with ice water. Remove when chilled.
- Sauté shallots in olive oil and butter until translucent. Add chopped garlic and cook 1–2 minutes. Add beans and cook until heated through. If needed, add stock or water to help the beans cook. Remove from heat, toss with dill and lemon juice and season to taste.
- Arrange beans on a plate and top with fresh fennel and radish. Top with more fresh dill, crispy garlic and leeks.
