Green beans with toasted almonds and lime

I love green beans, and have some great ways of preparing them – flash fried with garlic and chilli, steam-fried with mustard seeds and ginger, or tossed in an Indian-inspired dressing – but these green beans with toasted almonds and lime stands up to any of them.

The idea comes from my friend Debbie, who remembers being served delicious green beans dressed with lime when she was a student in Paris.

I don’t know how similar my dish comes to the original. But there is alchemy in the combination of green beans, butter and lime juice that results in something very, very good indeed.

Green beans with toasted almonds and lime

• 50g flaked almonds
• 5oog fine green beans, trimmed
• 1 Tb butter
• juice and zest of a lime
• Maldon salt (or flaky sea salt)

1. If the flaked almonds are raw, heat a small frying pan over a low flame and dry-fry the almonds until toasted. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized saucepan over a high flame, bring 2cm of lightly salted water to the boil.
3. Add the beans, cover, and steam/simmer for 3-4 minutes until bright green and just tender.
4. Drain off any remaining water, return to the heat and add the butter, lime juice and zest.
5. Toss the beans until thoroughly coated. Season with Maldon salt, scatter with toasted almonds and serve.

Tags: almonds, gluten-free, green beans, lime, vegetarian