Grilled Romano beans with braised lemon, garlic and dill

Name: Grilled Romano beans with braised lemon, garlic and dill
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 6-8 as a side dish
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients: 2 lemons; 10 garlic cloves, finely sliced; 200ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra; salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper; juice of 1 lemon; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 1 bunch of dill, fronds finely chopped; 25 Romano beans, about 20cm long, stalk end trimmed

Karen Martini

December 1, 2023

These beans are great served hot or cold.William Meppem

easyTime:30 mins - 1 hourServes:6-8 as a side dish

Long, flat Romano beans have a similar flavour to green beans, but the wider surface area and firm texture make them ideal for grilling; they take on char while retaining their shape. The dressing adds a sour, lemony tang, but there are deeper, caramelised citrus and toasted garlic notes that work wonderfully, too.

This is an ideal Christmas side, since the beans eat beautifully cold and will hold for a couple of hours on the table. The acidity will discolour the beans after a while, but they’ll still taste great.

Ingredients

2 lemons
10 garlic cloves, finely sliced
200ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra
salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 bunch of dill, fronds finely chopped
25 Romano beans, about 20cm long, stalk end trimmed

Method

Step 1
Cut the lemons in half lengthways, then finely slice. Cut the slices in half.
Step 2
Add the sliced lemon, garlic and 200ml of oil to a small saucepan over the lowest heat. Cook for 20-25 minutes to soften the garlic and caramelise the lemon, which will become lightly golden and translucent. Season with salt and pepper and add the lemon juice and fennel seeds. Simmer for 3 minutes, then take off the heat. Pour into a large bowl and cool a little, then drop the dill on top.
Step 3
Cook the beans in boiling, salted water for 20 seconds, then plunge into iced water for 20 seconds and drain.
Step 4
Dry the beans well, coat with a little extra oil and season lightly with salt. Grill on a barbecue or in a very hot griddle pan on high for about 2 minutes each side. As they come off the grill, drop the beans in the dressing and toss through. Let the beans stand for about 5 minutes to take on the dressing, then serve.