from Food to Live By
3/4-1 lb green beans
salt
1 tbls olive oil
1 tbls minced fresh garlic
1/2 bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced into thin strips (optional)
freshly ground black pepper
1. Fill a large bowl of water with ice cubes and set aside
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the beans and and 1 tsp of salt and cook until the beans are just crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Immediately drain the beans in a colander, then plunge them into the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain the beans again in the colander.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over med heat. Add the garlic and bell pepper if using. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the drained beans and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season the beans with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot or at room temp.