By Rachelle Boucher, BDC’s Senior Culinary Events & Experiences Lead
If you have an induction cooktop and want to show it off to your friends and family this holiday season, I have just what you need — a recipe that demonstrates how cooking with induction is faster, safer, and provides more control than cooking with gas.
In addition, this recipe is on trend, as it puts a new spin on the “Green Beans in a Bag” recipe from Miznon Restaurant in NYC, which is currently going viral on TikTok. It is also budget-friendly, with ingredients you can find at most stores.
As a longtime lover of green beans and eating foods with my hands, I understand why TikTokers are excited about green vegetables done right. My version adds the umami magic of both browned mushrooms and a pan-charring technique that levels up the humble green bean. If you want to get the Miznon effect, serve these at room temperature in a clean parchment paper bag. Why not?
I created this recipe to showcase the wonders of induction cooking for the “BDC Presents: Holiday Prep Rally” webinar I hosted in November with three building decarbonization luminaries, including my co-host and market transformation expert Matt Rusteika, along with sustainable building developer Dave Holman of Holman Homes and Eric Agren of Agren Appliance. We had a blast in the kitchen talking about green building, holiday cooking, and, of course, “today’s electric kitchens.” For inspiration, insights, and induction information, watch us cooking and dropping knowledge here.
Circling back to the green beans, this recipe is a blast to make because it moves along quickly from the highest heat (boiling and charring) all the way to an extra low melt for a creamy, emulsified finishing touch. The unparalleled speed, safety, and control of an induction cooktop enhances each step of this recipe. Blanching is faster and safer, mushrooms cook quickly and develop more flavor, green beans char more easily, there is much more control when cooking shallots and garlic, and the emulsified butter sauce is easier to make and not break! See the recipe below.
RECIPE
Charred Green Beans with Mushrooms & Beurre Fondue
Servings: 4-6
Notes:
- Induction cooking is fast, so make sure to prep all your ingredients before you begin cooking!
- Because you are cooking with high heat, set your vent hood on medium.
- Add the blanched vegetables to the hot pan carefully to avoid oil spatter.
- Lemon juice alters the color of green vegetables, so only add lemon zest (not juice) while cooking the green beans.
Ingredients:
- Kosher salt for the blanching water (approx. 1 Tbsp.), plus 1 tsp. or more to taste
- 2 Tbsp. of grapeseed or other high-heat oil
- 12 oz. green beans, stem ends trimmed
- 4 oz. wild or cultivated mushrooms, brushed clean, stemmed and sliced
- 2 small shallots, thinly sliced (approx. ¼ cup)
- 2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 3 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and refrigerated
- 1 Tbsp. water
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
- Zest of one (or two) lemons (Optional: wedges of lemon to serve)
- Optional: Maldon or other finishing salt
Directions:
- Blanch the Beans: In a large pot, add enough water to fully submerge the beans (don’t add the beans yet). Add 1 Tbsp. of kosher salt and bring the water to a boil on high heat. Add the green beans and cook until the beans are bright and crisp, about 2 minutes. Strain in a colander and transfer the beans to a large bowl or a sheet pan lined with a clean towel or paper towel to cool and dry slightly to prevent water from spattering while charring the beans.
- Char the Beans: Heat a large cast iron pan or sauté pan on the high setting on the large element of your induction unit until hot. Add 1 Tbsp. of oil and heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Then add one green bean and wait till you hear it “sizzle.” Once you hear it sizzling, add the remaining beans (away from you to ensure none of the hot oil splatters on you). Toss the beans a few times as you char them for about two minutes. Once the beans are charred, turn off the heat and remove the beans from the pan.
- Sauté the Mushrooms: Add an additional 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and turn the heat back on to medium-high. Add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to crisp and brown, adding more oil and turning as needed. Turn your heat down to medium-low, add shallots, and sauté the mushrooms and shallots for a minute or two until they are soft. Next, add garlic and toss for another minute. Add in the beans and turn the heat off. Allow the pan to cool slightly. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper, several grates of fresh nutmeg, and lemon zest.
- Make the Beurre Fondue: After turning off the heat and letting the pan cool, add 2 tablespoons of water and the cold, cubed butter to the beans and mushrooms in the now-cooled (but not cold) pan. Gently toss until the beans are warmed through and the butter sauce is emulsified (creamy). Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Serve hot, with optional wedges of lemon and a sprinkling of Kosher or finishing salt.
This dish comes together fast, taking you on a “quick tour” of the benefits of induction cooking. Try and resist eating them hot out of the pan, we couldn’t stop…
Let us know if you make them and if they went viral (at least in your own kitchen) by posting a picture of your results on Instagram, tagging the Building Decarbonization Coalition, and including the hashtag #Induction in your post!
Behind the scenes at the BDC Presents: Holiday Prep Rally with co-host Matt Rusteika. and our remarkable guests, Eric Agren and Dave Holman