Roasted Green Beans and Broccolini with Sesame Sauce
When I first made this recipe, I wasn’t thinking about Thanksgiving but as soon as the calendar flips to November the holiday seems to be front and center. Questions fly about…Are you hosting? Are you traveling? Will you have family in town? Celebrating with friends? I get lots of requests for recipes and people inquiring about our menu.
We have had the great fortune of marking the holiday with “friends who are like family” for…I seriously don’t know how long? Our children have grown up together and what started as a “kids table/adults only” situation has morphed into an elegant yet raucous whole group dynamic. We have raised children who may be bigger foodies that we are, so the celebration starts with Cole, our resident college-aged oyster shucker, donning a apron and mitt to open as many oysters as we can consume. I should mention that Cole sources his oysters weeks, if not months, in advance. Bubbles are poured and things elevate from here. If you are envisioned all glam, I will mention that the night inevitably ends with silly games and a midnight dance party that’s not in the least bit button-up.
But back to the food, we cover all the traditional bases and there are certain things not to be messed with, I’m looking at you mashed potatoes. But when considering my contributions, I like to look for some twists. Recipes that might make you pause to consider, flavors that break free of the more common cream and butter. This year, I am not in charge of a green vegetable but the following recipe for Roasted Green Beans and Broccolini with Sesame Sauce from East by Meera Soda is the type that I might consider if a green vegetable was on my list. It checks the green bean box but in an unexpected way. It’s also super easy because the dressing can be doubled, tripled, quadrupled! and be made well in advance. You just drizzle it over the roasted vegetables when ready to serve. I should mention that this dressing can be poured over absolutely any vegetable, any time of year. It’s simple and delicious.
Maybe next week, I will do my annual Thanksgiving recipe round-up but if you’re curious, just type “Thanksgiving” in the search bar and pages of recipes (some traditional, others not) will pop up. Here’s to my favorite holiday and time of year! Enjoy!
Roasted Green Beans and Broccolini with Sesame Sauce
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1/4 c tahini
- 1 Tbls toasted sesame oil
- 1 1/2 Tbls soy sauce
- 1 Tbls agave syrup
- 1/2 inch ginger peeled and grated
For the greens
- 2 Tbls canola oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2/3 lb broccolini
- 2/3 lb green beans trimmed
- 1 Tbls sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Place all of the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and whisk together, adding a little water to help looosen it up so that you can just about drizzle it.
- For the greens, spread out on a sheet pan and toss with the oil and salt, using your hands to get the oil into the florets so that they don't burn.
- Roast for 10-20 minutes, until charred to your liking. Remove to a platter and drizzle over the sauce and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.