It hadn't actually been tasted at that point, but who cares? It's pretty! That kind of decision making has often left me collecting many animals, shoes, clothes, and sometimes even men that I just didn't need.
I was almost finished cooking when I began to panic that the cranberries were way too tart and overpowering. I was already running late so to alter the recipe was not really an option. However, letting it simmer while I got ready for the evening did help soften the flavour of the cranberries.
The combination of the spices was surpisingly sophisticated and the tartness of the cranberries added an interesting pop of flavour. By the time the dish was eaten at the potluck(about an hour later), it was really well received by the people who were at my table. A suggestion was that the cranberries had a chance to marinate.
Next time, I will try pre-cooking the cranberries with a touch of honey or sugar.
Green Beans with Fresh Cranberries
1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut
2 tbsp margarine ( I used olive oil)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp parsley
2 tbsp tarragon
pepper to taste
Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add the beans and cook for 3-4 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander and hold unter running water to stop the cooking process. Blot the beans with a paper towel to remove the excess water.
Put the beans in a dry skillet and heat over medium heat until the remaining moisture on the beans evaporates. Stir in the olive oil, cranberries, garlic, parsley, tarragon and pepper, tossing to coat well.
Cook until heated through.
I served this as a side dish on Christmas Eve and it was a huge hit!
ReplyDeleteThe following modifications were successful: Over medium heat, I cooked butter, garlic, basil, tarragon, rosemary, honey and cranberries until the cranberries started to split. As Melanie suggested, this cut the tartness of the cranberries. Then I added asparagus prepared the same way as the green beans were described above.
Thanks to Mel for sharing this great recipe!!