Megan McArdle is a columnist and author who has been blogging about food since 2001. She lives in a Washington DC with her husband and her dog, and an elderly kitchen that is known to family and friends as “the appliance museum”.
Dispatches from a Kitchen
I was looking up your old Atlantic article about frozen veg for your simple frozen artichoke recipe (delicious by the way, thanks!). I noticed you mentioned that frozen green beens never come out well, and thought I’d share a very quick and easy recipe that’s a staple in my home, which uses French cut frozen green beans:
1. Heat olive oil in skillet until just before smoking.
2. Pour frozen French cut green beens directly into skillet on maximum heat, add salt.
3. When defrosted (1 to 3 minutes depending on burner), lower temperature to medium and cook until all liquid has evaporated and beens have started to soften.
4. Add black pepper and garlic powder for 1-2 minutes.
5. Serve.
Variation if you have demi glace to hand: use demi glace instead of olive oil, omit garlic powder.