Green Beans with Coriander and Garlic

With the warm spring weather finally here, I've been craving foods that are a bit healthier.  I'm ready to give up my heavy slow cooker meals and trade them in for lots of greens, fruits and veggies.  Bret and I may have been a little over-excited for spring since we somehow managed to order two pounds of green beans in our latest Peapod order.  I typically prepare green beans by steaming them or sauteeing them but I wanted to try something different so I did a quick search on Epicurious and found this recipe for Green Beans with Coriander and Garlic. 

The ingredients were are all really simple: 

• 2 pounds green beans, washed and trimmed
• 3 quarts boiling water plus 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced (the original recipe calls for two large cloves)
• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander (note, fresh coriander is cilantro)
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 3 tablespoons herbs de Provence extra virgin olive oil (the original recipe just calls for top-quality olive oil)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 to 4 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

First, I cooked the green beans in the boiling salted water for about ten minutes.

While the green beans were cooking, I placed the garlic and cilantro in a large heat-proof bowl.

As soon as the beans were done, I drained the pot and returned the green beans to the pot.  I turned the heat up to medium-high heat and shook the pan for about a minute to drive out the excess moisture.

I dumped the hot green beans on top of the garlic and coriander and let them stand for about ten minutes.

I then added the two types of olive oil to the bowl.

I tossed the bowl well to mix.  The garlic had cooked from the heat of the hot garlic beans and the aroma was unbelievable.

I covered the bowl with plastic wrap and let the green beans marinate in the fridge for about four hours.

About an hour before serving, I took the bowl out of the fridge and left it covered on the table.  Right before I served the green beans, I added the lemon juice, vinegar and pepper.  I tossed the green beans well and gave it a taste.  I loved the garlicky flavor of the green beans and the bright acidity of the lemon juice and cider vinegar.  The green beans tasted fresh, crisp and so sharp.  I didn't need to make any additions but you can add more vinegar, olive oil, salt or pepper to taste.

This preparation of green beans were so simple but really flavorful.  I really liked how this can be made ahead of time, which makes it a great side dish if you're hosting or attending a dinner party.

Do you like green beans?  What is your favorite way to prepare green beans?