Gremolata is a classic Italian condiment made of fresh garlic, parsley and lemon zest. It’s traditionally used as an accompaniment to meat dishes or even used as a garnish, but in this recipe it provides a fresh, zesty flavour to otherwise subtle beans. In short, it’s a super easy way to gussy up beans and make them seem fancy without much fuss.
We like to serve this cold or at room temperature. If you’d prefer the beans to be warm, then warm the olive oil in a pan and saute the beans in hot oil for a minute or two before tossing with the remaining ingredients. A few tablespoons of pine nuts and or Parmesan cheese would be a nice addition to this dish as well, but certainly are not necessary.
Beans With Gremolata
1 ½ lbs beans, cleaned and trimmed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¾ tsp sea salt
½ tsp cracked black peppercorns
½ cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
Zest of 2 lemons, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Immerse beans in boiling water. Blanch for 3 minutes, drain, and plunge into cold water to stop them from cooking further. Drain again and pat dry.
Place beans in a large bowl, and toss with remaining ingredients.