Snap Beans with Lemon & Capers is a crisp side dish with tender green and yellow beans tossed in lemon juice & capers.
Are you familiar with capers? Capers are pickled flower buds. Tiny capers are picked from a shrub-like bush (Capparis spinosa), long before the buds ever flower. The capers are then dried in the sun and later brined or packed in salt. Capers are the perfect salt factor in Snap Beans with Lemon & Capers and compliment the beans and lemon juice nicely.
This dish is served more as a salad than a side dish. The snap beans are immersed in ice water after they boil to keep them crisp and cold. I used green and yellow beans in this recipe, feel free to use what ever combination you have on hand.
This definitely is a healthy recipe. I tend to make green beans with bacon mixed in, but I must say this is a nice alternative. If you are looking for a dish to make on a hot summer day, Snap Beans with Lemon & Capers is a good choice.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. capers, coarsley chopped
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 lb. green or yellow beans, trimmed
Instructions
- Whisk together oil, capers, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl; set aside. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil; add beans and cook till tender, 3–4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain beans and toss with vinaigrette; adjust seasoning to taste and garnish with zest.
Notes
Adapted from Saveur.
Green Beans with Lemon & Capers
I love the vibrant colors.
Capers add the salt factor in this dish.
Serve with lemon slices.
Perfect summer side dish/salad.
