Summer Beans With Garlic and Herbs

 

Green beans aren't often grilled like eggplants, onions, peppers, and zucchini, but there's something about the high, dry heat of the fire and the subtle aroma of smoke that enhances their snap and natural sweetness.

 

INGREDIENTS

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 to 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

 Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 pounds any type flat beans or other summer green beans, ends snapped and strings removed

 Sea salt and ground black pepper

 Leaves from 3 sprigs of fresh basil

 Leaves from 3 sprigs of fresh mint

 

Using your grill, start a hot wood fire.   Place a few hardwood chunks beneath the grate over one or two of the burners on a gas grill. Heat one burner on high and the other burners on medium, adjusting the heat as needed.) Coat the grill grate with oil.

In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup oil and the garlic and simmer over low heat for 8 minutes, or until the garlic is aromatic but not browned. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool. Combine the red pepper flakes, lemon zest, and parsley in a mixing bowl.

 

Combine the beans and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a large mixing basin. Toss with salt and pepper to combine.

Organize the beans on the grill directly or in a wire grill basket. 3 to 4 minutes, rotating with tongs, until browned and crisp-tender. 

Transfer the heated beans to the mixing bowl and toss with the garlic-parsley oil. Drizzle in a little lemon juice. Serve with basil and mint leaves.