Green Bean Fries with Garlic Aioli

One of my favorite restaurants has been serving a similar dish on their seasonal specials menu. These beans are wildly popular and they frequently sell out. A couple weeks ago I decided that everyone should be able to enjoy these beans and started researching how to fry green beans.

Green Bean Fries

• 1 lb green beans
• 3/4 cup rice flour
• 3/4 cup Pamela’s Ultimate Baking Mix
• 1 cup ice cold water
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• fresh lemons
• fresh grated parmesan cheese
• 48 oz. bottle of vegetable oil (for frying)

Garlic Aioli

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1-2 tbsp parsley
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar (white wine would probably work better, but I didn’t have any so I opted for red wine vinegar as a substitute)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• a few cranks of fresh ground pepper
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Make the Garlic Aioli first, as it requires some refrigeration and time to sit before being served. Use a food processor or blender to make this; I chose a blender. Mix lemon and vinegar in a separate container and put to the side. Place the egg, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper in the blender and mix.

Adding the olive oil is the most difficult part (it can also be messy). If you have an oil dispenser with a narrow opening, start using that bottle. Very slowly drop a few drops in at a time into the already mixed items. You’ll mix on a high speed while slowly adding a few drops until a slight emulsion develops. After the emulsion has formed, you can add 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a very slow steady stream. Add the lemon juice and vinegar mixture, and then continue to slowly add the other 1/4 cup olive oil.

You should have a mixture that looks like green mayonnaise (because that’s what it is). Let the aioli sit at room temperature for an hour or two then refrigerate until serving. I warn people that a raw egg was used before serving just to be cautious. The aioli is good for up to one week if kept in the refrigerator.

On to the Green Beans…

Heat a large pot with water on high heat. Prepare a separate container with ice water. Wash and trim green beans. Bring the water to a boil, then add the green beans. The beans only need to be quickly blanched so just a few minutes in the water, around 3-5 minutes. Drain the beans and shock them in the ice water. Dry beans after they have been cooled.

Mix all dry batter ingredients together in a bowl. Next add the egg and ice water and mix until everything is combined.

Heat vegetable oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit in a wok or fryer. You will need a slotted spoon or wire basket to drain excess oil off of the beans. Coat green beans in the batter mixture and fry for around two minutes or until the batter is golden. Fry the beans in small batches to avoid sticking together. Place beans on a towel to soak up extra oil. After you’ve cooked a few batches drizzle fresh lemon juice over beans and sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese. Repeat with the remaining beans. Serve with the garlic aioli.

Serves 4-6 as an appetizer