Grilled Long Beans

By AzWench

Ingredients

• 1 pound long beans (see Note) or green beans
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the grill to high. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the beans until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Refresh in a bowl of ice water and drain well. Cut each bean into 8- to 9-inch lengths and tie each into a loose knot (see Note). Let dry on paper towels

When ready to grill, preheat a vegetable grate (if using) for 5 minutes. Brush the knotted beans with sesame oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs, until nicely browned, 4 to 6 minutes in all. Transfer the long beans to plates or a platter, sprinkle with the sesame seeds, and serve immediately. (Optional serving idea: Tie bundles of beans together with blanched scallion greens.)

Note: Long beans are available through some specialty produce stores, or can be ordered from www.melissas.com. If using regular green beans, thread them, 4 or 5 at a time, crosswise on short bamboo skewers (the effect is raft-like). Young, slender green beans don’t need to be parboiled.