Mixed Beans Recipe with Lemon Dill Butter

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“Green beans” don’t just come in green! Pictured are Provider, Roc d’Or, Royalty Purple Pod, Cranberry Bush, Rattlesnake, Yellow Anellino, and Dragon’s Lingerie.
“Green beans” don’t just come in green! Pictured are Provider, Roc d’Or, Royalty Purple Pod, Cranberry Bush, Rattlesnake, Yellow Anellino, and Dragon’s Lingerie.
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Lemon dill butter lends a bright, fresh touch to colorful bush beans in this mixed beans recipe.
Lemon dill butter lends a bright, fresh touch to colorful bush beans in this mixed beans recipe.
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The OAEC Collective shares 200 unique and delicious seasonal recipes in “The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center Cookbook.” The recipes incorporate wild foods and are presented in quantities suitable for feeding a crowd.
The OAEC Collective shares 200 unique and delicious seasonal recipes in “The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center Cookbook.” The recipes incorporate wild foods and are presented in quantities suitable for feeding a crowd.
15 mins DURATION
5 mins COOK TIME
10 mins PREP TIME
6 servings SERVINGS

Ingredients

    Small Batch

    • 1 pound mixed beans
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 1 small clove garlic, crushed
    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
    • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
    • 1 large sprig dill, chopped finely
    • Salt to taste

    Large Batch

    • 10 pounds mixed beans
    • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
    • 3 small garlic cloves, crushed
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
    • 1 bunch dill, chopped finely
    • Salt to taste

    Directions

    • Top and tail the beans and cut them into 2-inch pieces. Scissors work well for this task.
    • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While the water is boiling, melt the butter in a very small pan and add the garlic.
    • Cook ever so briefly, less than 30 seconds, just until the green smell is released from the garlic; do not let the butter or garlic scorch. Remove from the heat.
    • Blanch the beans for 4 minutes or so, until they’re just cooked but still bright in color. Drain and toss with the garlic butter while they’re still hot.
    • Toss in the lemon juice and zest, chopped dill, and a pinch of salt.
    • Taste and adjust the lemon juice and salt to your liking.VariationTry substituting summer savory for the dill—beans and summer savory are a classic combo.

      More from The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center Cookbook:

      How to Make Acorn FlourEasy Sauerkraut Recipe
      Reprinted with permission from The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center Cookbook by The OAEC Collective with Olivia Rathbone and published by Chelsea Green Publishing, 2015. Buy this book from our store: The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center Cookbook.
    PRINT RECIPE

    The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center is a farm, community center and educational retreat that has promoted heritage foods and stewardship for decades—and in The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center Cookbook, (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2015) the OAEC Collective and Olivia Rathbone present a collection of recipes to make the best use of traditional and wild foods in the kitchen. The following recipe is from “Hot Vegetable Dishes.”

    You can buy this book from the MOTHER EARTH NEWS store: The Occidental Arts & Ecology Center Cookbook.

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