A flat, snap-type pole bean, Romanos are not to be confused with Borlotti beans, an Italian shelling variety. Depending on the specific cultivar, Romano beans can be purple, yellow or green. I’m hardly adverse to any bean, but I do love Romano, green or wax beans in dishes like this one, when the beans are simply blanched and paired with anchovy paste for a great textural combination.
All three of these varieties are available year-round but peak in tender deliciousness throughout summer. Rather than packaged beans, try to buy beans that are sold loose, resulting in the freshest pods. The spicy lime spritz in this recipe from Molto Batali (Ecco, 2011) contributes that hint of acidity, which heightens freshness as well. I also like to spice the beans up a bit with a hit of hot-red-pepper flakes and pungent red onion.
I can feel that bittersweet sting in the air as summer comes to an end and fall approaches. What better sendoff than the gift of local beans with a spicy citrus flare to keep us in the spirit of those long hot nights?
One cool way to serve these beans is to make a row of them on a warmed platter and effortlessly spoon the lime spritz on top. But if you really want to treat this
summer dish with the respect it deserves, serve these beans as a family-style appetizer, and just dig in with your fingers.
SUMMER BEANS WITH A SPICY LIME SPRITZ
Serves 8 to 10 as a side dish
Ingredients:
2 pounds Romano, green or wax beans
Salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium red onions, chopped into 1/8-inch dice
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon hot-red-pepper flakes
1/4 cup anchovy paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 limes, halved
Directions:
Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil in a large pasta pot. Set up a large ice bath nearby.
Trim the beans, and cut them into 3-inch lengths.
When the water comes to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt.
Drop the beans into the water, and cook until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a spider or a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to the ice bath. When they have cooled, drain the beans, and set them aside in a colander.
In a 14-inch saute pan, heat the olive oil over high heat until just smoking. Add the onions, garlic, red-pepper flakes and anchovy paste. Reduce the heat to medium-high, and stir until the onions have begun to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the beans, and cook 3 to 4 minutes until they are hot and coated with the anchovy sauce. Season with salt and black pepper. Squeeze the limes over the beans, place the beans on a warmed platter, and serve.
Mario Batali is the award-winning chef behind 25 restaurants, including Eataly, Del Posto and his flagship Greenwich Village enoteca, Babbo.