Turkey and String Bean Stir-Fry

One of the only vegetables that grew at my parents’ house was string beans. They pretty much grew wild along the fence by our picnic table; no one ever planted them. My guess is that they started as a volunteer from our neighbor’s yard and then became quite established. Wherever they came from, I loved having them, they were sweet like candy and I ate them directly from the vine; none ever made it into the house.

The first year I grew my garden at this house, I planted bush beans. What a pain! I hated all the bending down to harvest them, and they produced prolifically! The next year I tried purple pole string beans, Trionfo Violetto, and I have grown them every year since. Of course I was a little disappointed, although amazed, that first year when they turned from deep purple to green when I cooked them. I still love them fresh off the vine, but now I try to find different ways to use them to keep us interested during their typically long growing season.

The go-to recipe is always Pa sta with Potatoes, Green Beans and Pesto, but even though we love anything pesto, we cannot eat every week. There is also Green Bean Polou, which I will probably be making again next week. But tonight we lean towards Chinese cooking with a Turkey & String Bean Stir-Fry adapted from Food Network Magazine’s Spicy Turkey and Green Bean Stir-Fry.

Turkey and String Bean Stir-Fry

Adapted from Food Network Magazine

1 1/2 cups basmati rice

1 1/2 lbs string beans, trimmed (from the garden)

3 Tbsp canola oil

1/2 tsp sugar

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 clove garlic, minced (from the garden)

1 small half sour or dill pickle, finely chopped

2 tsp Asian chile bean paste

1 cup chicken broth

2 Tbsps soy sauce

1 Tbsp rice or white wine vinegar

2 tsps cornstarch

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover and boil until tender, about 18 minutes, drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Toss the string beans, 1 1/2 Tbsp oil, and sugar on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil, stirring once, until the beans are tender and charred, about 8 minutes.

Heat the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, about 3 – 5 minutes. Add the garlic, pickle and chile bean paste and stir-fry about 3 minutes.