During the summer green beans are more than plentiful — they’re so abundant that it makes you wonder if you’ll ever like green beans again. I know a couple of people with gardens, and there’s always a discussion about just how many green beans can fit in their fridges.

Green beans are a convenient food — they require very little prep. I think this coupled with how quickly and easily they grow make them an attractive crop. If you do have an excess of green beans this summer, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

I encourage you to do more to green beans than steam or saute and serve with salt. They are delicious this way, but green beans match well with stronger flavors. For variety’s sake, dress them up a little. Long green beans are great for grilling, since short green beans are tricky to keep from falling through. A bit of vinegar and sweet from the potatoes makes this a really elegant entree. Last time I served it, my friends were talking more about this than the steak.

When one pulls out the grill in summertime, the first question is usually which meat is the star of the show. I’ve been questioning that lately, because as it turns out, grilled char and smoke enhances veggies just as well. We usually treat them like side dishes, but grilled vegetables should never be part of the supporting cast. Add grilled corn straight in the husk; the corn’s kernels are perfectly sweet and crisp. These are the mains, and if you really need a steak, on the side, go ahead.

Grilled Green Bean Mix

Ingredients:
• 3 small red potatoes
• 1 Okinawan sweet potato
• 1 pound long green beans
• Oil, for cooking
• 1 bunch green onions
• 3 tablespoons Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped roughly
• 3 tablespoons cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, to taste

Directions:

Wash the potatoes and pierce them several times with a fork. Wrap each in tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until can be easily pierced through with a knife. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Rub green beans and green onions in a couple of teaspoons of oil. On a hot barbecue grill, lay out the long green beans until they are cooked, turning them as they are blistered on the sides. Do the same with the green onions (they will cook much faster) and if you like, halve the potatoes lengthwise and grill those, too, just to get some browning.

Chop the green beans, green onions, and potatoes into 1-2 inch-long pieces. Add it to a large bowl for tossing. Add the olives, cilantro, mustard, vinegar, olive oil and a healthy sprinkling of salt. Toss well, adding more salt to taste as needed. Serves 4-6.