Recipe: Green Beans with Oregon Hazelnuts

Green Beans With Oregon Hazelnuts
Yields: 8 accompaniment servings

2/3 cup hazelnuts (filberts)
2 pounds green beans, trimmed
salt
4 tablespoons margarine or butter (1/2 stick)
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place hazelnuts in 9" by 9" metal baking pan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes until lightly toasted. To remove skins, wrap hot hazelnuts in clean cloth towel. With hands, roll hazelnuts back and forth until skins come off. Discard skins; finely chop nuts. Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, heat 1 inch water and 1 teaspoon salt to boiling over high heat. Add green beans; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes, until beans are tender-crisp; drain. Wipe skillet dry.In same skillet, melt margarine or butter over medium heat. Add hazelnuts and cook, stirring, 3 minutes or until margarine just begins to brown. Add green beans, lemon peel, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes or until hot.

BUSY COOK'S TIP: A day ahead, toast and chop hazelnuts; store in airtight container. Cook green beans until tender-crisp. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking; drain and store, covered, in the refrigerator. Proceed with recipe as in step 3.