Not truly pickled, these beans are what I call “quickles”. These are great cold, but can be served heated as well.
INGREDIENTS:
12 ounces filet beans, trimmed of stems and wispy tails 1 cup dressing, or as much as needed (see below)
Dressing:
1 scant cup red wine vinegar ½ cup sugar, or as needed
METHOD:
Combine the vinegar and sugar and whisk until the sugar goes into suspension (disappears into the vinegar). Taste-there should be a balance of sweet and tart. Depending on the vinegar, you will probably need to add more sugar. Add it a tablespoon at a time, whisking it in, until you achieve the correct balance.
While the dressing is being made, bring a volume of water twice as large as the volume of beans to a boil. Salt generously.
Blanch the beans until just tender, around 6-7 minutes.
Drain the beans and place into a non-reactive bowl. Pour the dressing over the beans while they are hot. There should be enough dressing to liberally coat the ingredients.
Refrigerate to chill, tossing occasionally to distribute dressing. Shake off excess dressing when ready to serve.
To serve hot, either dress and serve right away (the beans will not taste very “pickled”) or reheat the beans in a microwave or quickly sauté to heat through.
Chef’s Notes: If you can, make the dressing the day before and chill it so it cools the beans faster. The beans should be cooked just until they are no longer raw. The dressing is easy to change up depending on the final use. You can change the vinegar, add herbs or spices as you please, just be sure the beans are warm or hot when you immerse them into the dressing so they absorb the quickle solution.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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