Green Beans And Red Bell Peppers With Marjoram And Almonds Recipes

Steps:

• Snap the stem ends of the green beans, or cut them off in a big bunch with a knife if you'd prefer.
• Melt the bacon grease in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook for a minute. Then add the green beans and cook until the beans turn bright green, about a minute. Add the chicken broth, chopped red pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat to low and cover the skillet with a lid, leaving the lid cracked to allow steam to escape. Cook until the liquid evaporates and the beans are fairly soft, yet still a bit crisp, 20 to 30 minutes. You can add more chicken broth during the cooking process, but don't be afraid to let it all cook away so the onions and peppers can start to caramelize.

Steps:

• Place the slivered almonds in a dry skillet over low heat, and cook and stir constantly until the almonds are lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully, because they burn easily. Remove the almonds and set aside.
• Heat butter in a skillet over medium-low heat, and cook and stir the shallots and red bell pepper until softened, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle the shallot mixture with sugar, salt, and pepper, and reduce heat to low. Cover, and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the shallots caramelize, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan, fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer, and bring the water to a boil. Add the green beans, cover, and steam until just tender enough to pierce with a fork, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain the green beans, place them into the skillet with the shallot mixture, mix well, and gently stir in the toasted almonds.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a baking pan toast almonds in one layer in middle of oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly colored. Cut bell peppers into 2-inch-long strips. In a 12-inch heavy skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook half of peppers, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer cooked peppers to a serving bowl. Cook remaining peppers in remaining tablespoon oil in same manner and transfer to bowl.
• In a 4-quart kettle half filled with boiling salted water cook beans until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes for haricots verts or about 6 minutes for regular green beans. Drain beans in a colander and transfer to bowl. Toss vegetables with almonds and salt and pepper to taste.