Charred Green Beans with Lemon Verbena Pesto
Fresh green beans charred to crisp-tender perfection on the grill, then tossed with a fragrant homemade pesto made from lemon verbena leaves, garlic, Parmesan, and nuts. A bright and flavorful summer side dish.
Ingredients
- •1½ pounds green beans
- •2 teaspoons olive oil
- •1 cup fresh lemon verbena leaves
- •2 cloves garlic
- •¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- •¼ cup pine nuts
- •½ cup olive oil
- •to taste salt and pepper
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Prepare a hot fire in your grill.
10 min
- 2.
Toss the beans with olive oil and place in a perforated grill basket or wok set on a baking sheet.
3 min
- 3.
For the Lemon Verbena Pesto, combine the lemon verbena, garlic, cheese, and nuts in a food processor and pulse to puree. Slowly add the olive oil with the processor running until the mixture thickens and emulsifies, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The pesto will keep in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days or it may be frozen for up to 3 months.
5 min
- 4.
Place the grill wok or basket directly over the fire and stir-grill tossing the beans with wooden paddles or grill spatulas until crisp-tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the grilled beans to a large bowl and toss with about 1/4 cup of the Lemon Verbena Pesto or to taste.
8 min