Long Beans, Short Order

You’ve probably had Chinese longbeans in your favorite Asian restaurants. They are long--about 16 inches--and round, too. But what surprises some people is that they work well in non-Asian cooking.

Here, combined with lots of garlic, they make an easy, flavorful side dish when served with Parmesan-breaded chicken thighs.

This menu takes a little bit of organization because most of the work is in the pre-cooking preparation. But once you’ve got all your ingredients ready, the cooking is a snap.

MENU

Parmesan-Breaded Chicken Thighs

Chinese Long Beans With Garlic

PARMESAN-BREADED CHICKEN THIGHS

1 1/4 pounds boneless chicken thighs

3 tablespoons flour

Salt, pepper

1 egg

2 tablespoons water

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons minced rosemary

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Rinse and dry chicken thighs and set aside on plate. Combine flour and salt and pepper to taste on plate and set aside. Beat egg and water in shallow bowl and set aside. Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan and rosemary in shallow dish and set aside.

Heat butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. While oil heats, dredge chicken thighs in flour mixture, then dip in egg mixture, then dredge in bread crumb mixture.

When oil is hot, add chicken to pan and cook, turning once or twice, until golden brown and juices run clear when chicken is punctured with fork, 7 to 8 minutes per side. Serve at once.

4 servings. Each serving:

421 calories; 434 mg sodium; 163 mg cholesterol; 29 grams fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 25 grams protein; 0.10 gram fiber.

CHINESE LONG BEANS WITH GARLIC (LOW-FAT COOKING)

1 pound Chinese long beans

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 cup chicken broth

Salt, pepper

Rinse long beans and cut into 2-inch pieces.

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add long beans and cook, stirring, until beans begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and cook, stirring, 3 to 4 more minutes.

Increase heat to high and add chicken broth and salt and pepper to taste and cook until broth has reduced to about 2 tablespoons and beans are tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

4 servings. Each serving:

73 calories; 178 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 1.28 grams fiber.

INGREDIENTS

STAPLES

Dry bread crumbs

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth

Butter

Eggs

Flour

Garlic

Olive Oil

Parmesan cheese

Pepper

Rosemary

Salt

SHOPPING LIST

1 1/4 pounds boneless chicken thighs

1 pound Chinese long green beans

COUNTDOWN:

30 minutes before: Rinse and dry chicken thighs. Combine flour, salt and pepper. Combine bread crumbs, rosemary and Parmesan cheese. Mince garlic for green beans. Beat egg and water.

20 minutes before: Rinse and chop green beans. Begin heating oil and butter for chicken. Coat chicken in flour, egg and bread crumb mixtures.

15 minutes before: Begin cooking chicken. Heat olive oil for green beans and begin cooking beans.

10 minutes before: Add garlic to green beans.

5 minutes before: Add chicken stock, salt and pepper to beans.