Sesame Green Beans

For fresh vegetables from the farmer's market, I usually prefer them raw, quickly blanched, or in simple dishes so the flavor of the vegetable shines through. This past Saturday green beans made their first appearance at one stand and I immediately picked up a pound. While I'll certainly be munching on them raw, I wanted a simple way to prepare them to accompany Grilled Glazed Salmon. I found this Asian-inspired gem on the Martha Stewart website. I love the Asian flavors and particularly the flavor of sesame oil, so this immediately appealed to me (it also appealed to me that I had all the ingredients on hand).

Sesame Green Beans
from Martha Stewart

serves 4

1 lb. green beans, trimmed
2 t. rice vinegar
1/2 t. toasted sesame oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 t. sesame seeds

1. Set a steamer basket in a large pot. Fill with enough water to come just below basket; bring to a boil. Add green beans to basket; reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and cook until crisp-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil; season with salt and pepper. Add green beans and sesame seeds; season with salt and pepper, and toss.