Green Bean Salad with Feta and Toasted Almonds

Ingredients

1 cup sliced almonds

2 lbs green beans

1/4-1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon fine sea salt (divided 1/2 and 1/2)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

zest and juice of 1 medium lemon

4 teaspoons Dijon or spicy brown mustard

4 cloves garlic (or 1 Tbsp of minced garlic)

Several twists of freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of red pepper flakes

~1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese, divided

Optional: fresh basil leaves for garnish

Mise en Place

Wash green beans. Trim ends, and cut into 2 to 3” long pieces.
Pan-roast almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat: Pre-heat an empty large skillet until a splash of water sizzles. Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently (careful, they burn quickly). After 3 minutes, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue stirring until they are fragrant and turning golden on the edges, about 1 to 3 more minutes. Transfer the almonds to a bowl to cool.
Zest and juice the lemon into a small (~8 oz.) bowl.
Add the olive oil, mustard, garlic, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp salt to the lemon juice and lemon zest. Set aside.

Instructions

Make sure the hot pan from the almonds is set to medium and place the skillet back on the heat. Add the green beans, water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are nearly tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove the lid, raise heat to medium-high, and cook until the liquid evaporates, 2 to 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.
Once the green beans are done cooking, whisk the marinade mixture once more, then pour it into the skillet.
Pour the almonds back into the skillet, and add the feta or goat cheese. Toss to combine, then taste and season, if necessary, with additional salt & pepper.
Transfer the green beans to a serving bowl or platter. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired. Serve promptly if you prefer it hot, but it's also delicious cold or at room temperature.

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