Britomart's New Favorite Green Beans

So, I had a bunch of green beans in my refrigerator that really needed to be used. I played in Epicurious and found a recipe that sounded lovely. Unfortunately, I didn't have the precise ingredients, and felt too comfy & lazy to venture out to the grocery store. So, I substituted like mad with similar ingredients. It turned out divine and made me very, very happy. But here's the original recipe, which I'm sure is awfully good, too.

• 3 generous handfuls of fresh green beans
• 1 C almonds, chopped finely
• 2 C vegetable broth
• 3 medium leeks
• 2 TBSP brown sugar
• 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
• 2 TBSP butter
• salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with a small amount of butter. Clean leeks and discard dark green portion. Cut leeks in half, lengthwise, and place on baking sheet. Melt & drizzle 1 TBSP of butter over leeks, ensuring that they're fully coated on all sides. Sprinkle liberally with salt & pepper. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes, until brown but not burnt. Once cooked, removed and chop coarsely.

Clean & prepare green beans (I just snap off the far ends, don't bother peeling off the string unless it happens magically). Blanch in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Set aside.

Melt 1 TBSP butter in saucepan & saute almonds until golden brown. Add a pinch or two of salt during the process. Once done, add green beans and saute for 5 minutes over medium heat.

In a small pot, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Simmer until reduced to approximate 1/2 C. Whisk in brown sugar & vinegar. Simmer for another minute, then add leeks. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for at least 5 more minutes.

Serve green bean & almond mixture topped with a generous dollop of the leek mixture.