Green Beans and Crookneck Squash with Caramelized Onions

With just a tiny bit of extra effort, you’ll have a green bean dish just right for date night, a dinner party, a holiday meal, or maybe even an easy veggie meal for the family. Start the caramelized onions first and when they’ve been cooking 10 or 15 minutes or so, put the water on for the beans. You can then sauté the squash while the beans cook. The timing isn’t critical as you can heat everything together in the squash skillet just before serving. Give yourself an hour to make this dish.

serves 4

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion, trimmed, peeled, and sliced thinly
1 tablespoon salted butter
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1- pound fresh green beans, trimmed or cut as needed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow crookneck squash, trimmed, and cut into strips ½” x 2”
1 whole garlic clove, peeled
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Minced fresh chives and/or chive flowers for garnish (can sub thinly sliced green onions)

Instructions

MAKE THE CARAMELIZED ONIONS: Melt butter over medium-low heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add onions; season with a pinch each salt, pepper, and the thyme; toss. Cook, stirring regularly, until medium-dark brown–at least 40 minutes. Lower heat or add a little broth or water if they’re browning too quickly.
COOK THE GREEN BEANS WHILE THE ONIONS CARAMELIZE : Fill a 6-quart pot 1/2 or 2/3 full of well-salted and peppered water. Cover and place over high heat until boiling. Add green beans, reduce heat to a healthy simmer, and cook until done to your taste. Skinny, fresh green beans could be done in five minutes. Older, thicker beans could take a lot longer. Drain well.
SAUTÉ THE SQUASH: Heat a 9” or 10” skillet over medium-high heat for a minute; add the olive oil and let it heat through a minute or two. Add the squash and garlic; season it with a good pinch each of kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring, for 3 or 4 minutes or until barely tender. Turn off heat. Slice the garlic and return to the pan.
HEAT THROUGH AND SERVE: Just before serving, add the green beans and caramelized onions to the skillet with the squash. Heat through. Taste and add seasonings as needed. Spoon into a serving dish and garnish with chives and/or chive flowers. Serve hot.