Recipe: Anago Green Beans with Charred Garlic

ANAGO GREEN BEANS WITH CHARRED GARLIC

5 large garlic cloves
3 tablespoons olive off
1 pound green beans, ends trimmed
3 tablespoons water
salt and pepper, to taste

Flatten the garlic with the side of a large knife and remove the skins.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook, turning occasionally, until the color changes from toasty brown to black, about 12 minutes.

Lower the heat as necessary to prevent the oil from burning. Add the beans and water. Cover the pan and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Notes:
Charring garlic in olive oil is a technique Bob Calderone, chef-owner at Anago, learned from his mother. As a boy, Calderone picked out the blackened cloves and gave them to his father until he realized how good they were. "Then I stopped sharing," he says. At Anago, the blackened garlic is added to many recipes, including a cassoulet. Calderone cooks the garlic quickly, but there is much less chance of burning the oil if you take your time and do it slowly. "My mom had patience," he says.

Servings: 4
Source: Boston Globe, May 10, 2000