Sep 13, 2012

Gruber Farm CSA Week 1 / Honey Balsamic Green Beans & Onions

It’s finally back! In the beginning of the Fall CSA, I expected to see the last bit of the Summer harvest. I was right!DSC_0190 (1024x731)

Week 1:

  • sweet potatoes
  • cucumbers
  • okra
  • green onions
  • corn
  • apples
  • green pepper
  • zucchini
  • yellow squash

Oh, the variety! On Tuesday, I immediately dug into the box and baked some sweet potato fries to have with dinner. Later I had an apple for dessert. It really is amazing to taste the difference in quality with local produce.

For dinner Wednesday evening, Amanda brought over homemade turkey meatloaf. To accompany it, I made a new green bean recipe.

Honey Balsamic Green Beans and Onions

 

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. fresh green beans
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Add the beans and blanch them for 2 minutes. Immediately remove the beans from the water and add them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain.
  2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and green beans. Cover, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, then stir in the vinegar, honey, onion powder, and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook to desired degree of doneness, about 5 minutes.

DSC_0196 (1024x675)

Don’t let the blanching step fool you; this recipe is pretty darn easy to make. After adding the balsamic and honey, the onions begin to caramelize which gives the dish an overall sweetness. We loved it and would definitely make it again.

What’s your favorite green vegetable?