Green beans with butter

Prepare your workspace: peel and thoroughly rinse the green beans under running water, laying the pods in a single layer on the cutting board. Snap or cut off the ends (about 2-3 mm) using a knife or your fingernail; if there are fibrous "strings" (rare in young beans), remove them by sliding your thumb from the end towards the center of the pod. Trim the green beans into equal pieces — you can leave the whole pods or cut them in half if they are very long.

Pour at least 2 liters of water into a large pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt (approximately 1 g, but in this recipe, we will add a total of 2 g of salt; we will divide the salt between the water and the dish) — the salt in the water will enhance the color and flavor of the green beans. When the water is boiling vigorously, add the green beans in batches so that the temperature does not drop too much. Blanch the pods for 3-4 minutes — they should be tender-crisp, still bright green, and slightly crunchy. Test: pierce the thickest part of the pod with a fork; it should go in with slight resistance, not cut through completely.

Prepare a large bowl with very cold water and ice cubes (the so-called ice bath). After 3-4 minutes of blanching, quickly transfer the beans with a slotted spoon to the bowl with icy water to immediately stop the cooking process. This will help the beans retain their vibrant green color and firm texture.

Drain the beans in a colander and spread them on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel, gently drying them — moisture will cause the butter to splatter and won't allow it to adhere well. If you don't have a towel, let the beans sit in the colander for a moment to drain naturally (2-3 minutes).

Heat a 24-28 cm skillet over medium heat. Add butter (50 g) and let it melt slowly — watch for it to start bubbling and take on a slightly nutty aroma (about 1-2 minutes). If you are using garlic (optional), crush or finely chop 2 cloves (10 g) and add to the butter during the last 30 seconds of melting, stirring — be careful not to burn it (burnt garlic will make the flavor bitter).

Add the drained beans to the pan and mix vigorously so that each bean is coated in butter. Sauté briefly — 2-3 minutes, just to warm the beans and lightly brown the edges. During cooking, season to taste with salt (remaining 2 g) and freshly ground pepper (1 g). Check the texture — the beans should be soft but firm; if they are still hard, sauté for another minute and repeat the fork test.

If you are using almond flakes (optional), toast them separately in a dry, medium-heated pan for 1-2 minutes — stirring constantly until they turn golden and you can smell a nutty aroma. Transfer the beans to a warmed serving platter, drizzle with the remaining butter from the pan, and sprinkle with almonds. Serve quickly while the beans are still warm and glistening.

Taste and adjust with a bit of salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately as a side dish for Christmas meals — arranging the green beans along the plate or as an elegant stack drizzled with butter. Serving temperature: warm, straight from the pan.