Sautéed green beans with crispy mushrooms

A quick and easy Asian-style side dish!

Use slender (sometimes called French) green beans if you can find them as they will cook more quickly and evenly; otherwise you can use regular green beans and slice them lengthwise. I used cremini mushrooms but you can use a variety of mushrooms if you like, including shiitake and oyster. This versatile and flavourful dish would make a great sidekick for all kinds of mains such as grilled meat or fish, including this Asian-inspired grilled salmon.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 cups (150 g) thinly sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup (26 g) diced shallot or onion
• 1 inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh gingerroot, peeled then finely chopped
• 1 pound (454 g) green beans
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) white wine (or water)
• 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) Sambal Oelek or sriracha, or more, to taste
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) water
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) sesame oil

Method

• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the olive oil. When it has warmed (about 1 minute), add the mushrooms and sauté until they have finished releasing their moisture and are darkened and crispy. Transfer mushrooms to a small bowl and set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of olive oil to the empty side of the skillet; let it warm for 30 seconds then add the onions. Sauté until softened, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the ginger, green beans, salt, wine, Sambal Oelek and water. Cover the pan and let beans steam for 2 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes, until beans are just tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Add the rice vinegar and sesame oil. Toss to coat then transfer mixture to a serving dish and sprinkle crispy mushrooms over top. Serve hot.

Serves 4.