I was a late-in-life convert to blue cheese. Eric had been a big fan of it since his teen years. The first time I had a chunk of blue cheese (other than in the occasional salad dressing) was in 2003. Eric surprised me with a getaway weekend to the American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin for their Celebration of Chocolate event. We celebrated my milestone birthday with 2 1/2 hours of tasting the world’s finest chocolate in every imaginable form. After the chocolate event, we headed to the piano bar for some wine & a light meal. Eric ordered us a fruit & cheese platter that included a Stilton blue cheese, one of the milder versions of the variety. I was hooked from the first bite.
Blue cheese is definitely one of those food items that people either really like or really dislike. It has an intense flavor & strong odor, both which increase as the cheese is aged. Made with cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk, the blue veining in the cheese comes from the Penicillium mold that is can be added to the milk culture as the cheese is processed or inoculated into the cheese as it ripens. There are numerous blue cheeses available but the three best-known ones are Roquefort (the original French version that uses the French spelling of bleu in the name), Gorgonzola (the Italian version) and Stilton (the English version). Any of these will work well in this vegetable recipe.
Blue Cheese & Walnut Green Beans
Blue Cheese & Walnut Green Beans (adapted from eatingwell.com)
Makes: 4 1-cup servings, Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Preparation:
Toast the chopped nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until they are fragrant and lightly browned, about 2 to 4 minutes. Set the nuts aside.
Bring the green beans and water to a boil in a large skillet. Reduce the heat to bring the water to a simmer, cover the pan and simmer the beans until they are just tender, about 3 minutes. Uncover the pan and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the water has evaporated, about 3 to 4 minutes more.
The beans cook in just a bit of water.
Add the oil, salt and pepper to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.
When the water evaporates, the oil & seasonings go in the pan.
Transfer the beans to a large bowl and toss them with the blue cheese until they are well coated.
The blue cheese will melt over the beans.
Sprinkle the beans with the walnuts and serve.
Add the nuts & serve!
Just a few ingredients, but lots of flavor! ~Linda
Blue Cheese & Walnut Green Beans (adapted from eatingwell.com)
Makes: 4 1-cup servings, Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Preparation:
Toast the chopped nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until they are fragrant and lightly browned, about 2 to 4 minutes. Set the nuts aside.
Bring the green beans and water to a boil in a large skillet. Reduce the heat to bring the water to a simmer, cover the pan and simmer the beans until they are just tender, about 3 minutes. Uncover the pan and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the water has evaporated, about 3 to 4 minutes more.
Add the oil, salt and pepper to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Transfer the beans to a large bowl and toss them with the blue cheese until they are well coated. Sprinkle the beans with the walnuts and serve.