Photo: Todd Coleman

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish

Ingredients

Make sure when you trim the green beans and sugar snaps that as you snap off the end you pull the string so that it comes up and off the length of the bean. This little step will reward you with no strings to get stuck in your teeth.

• 1 1⁄2 Tbsp. unsalted butter or olive oil
• 1 small shallot, chopped or thinly sliced, or 1⁄2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1⁄2 pound haricots verts or green beans, trimmed
• 1⁄2 pound sugar snap peas
• Kosher or coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (optional)
• 1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest (optional)

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter or olive oil. Add the shallot or garlic and cook until tender, about 4 minutes for the shallot or 1 minute for the garlic.

Add the haricots verts and sugar snap peas to the skillet and season with salt and pepper to taste. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are nicely coated with the butter or oil, about 2 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons of water, cover the skillet, and steam the vegetables until they are bright green and almost cooked through, 3 minutes longer. Remove the lid, stir the vegetables, and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables are cooked to your liking, 1 to 2 minutes.

Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or pepper if necessary. Toss the vegetables with the lemon juice and zest, if using, and serve.

From The Mom 100 (Workman) by Katie Workman.