First of all, I did not take this picture, (my camera ran out of batteries), but this is exactly how they turned out. And can I just say that they were the best green beans I have ever eaten. I got the recipe from a magazine I got at work called Cooks Illustrated. It has great techniques and step by step directions. Their web site is www.cooksillustrated.com

Here is the recipe:

• 1 pound fresh green beans, stems and ends cut off
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• table salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Use a cookie sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Place the green beans on the cookie sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, and salt and pepper and toss to coat. Cook for 12 minutes. At this point I used the amended recipe which made it roasted sesame green beans. After cooking for 12 minutes, remove cookie sheet from oven and toss with 1 tsp. sesame oil, 1/4 cup crushed red pepper flakes, 1 tsp. fresh ginger (I did not have any and omitted that, but it still turned out fine) and 2 tsp. honey. Using tongs, toss to coat evenly and place back in the oven for another 12 minutes longer. Continue roasting until dark golden brown in spots and start to shrivel. Meanwhile before the green beans are ready, in a dry skillet, toast 4 teaspoons of sesame seeds for a few minutes until golden. After the green beans are done, toss with the sesame seeds and serve immediately. This would be a great recipe to bring to a party too! They probably would be great at room temperature.

*One note, I actually cooked it at 350 for 1 hour because I was roasting potatoes at the same time and it turned out the same.

To quote Cook’s Illustrated: “Wrinkles are not always a sign of overzealous cooking. For roasted green beans, shriveled exteriors indicate a successful transformation from bland and stringy to tender and flavorful.”