HARICOTS VERTS IN MUSTARD SAUCE

Haricots verts is just French for "green beans." Actual haricots verts are smaller than the usual green beans and more tender but you can use regular green beans in this recipe. These are easy to prepare and can be partially cooked ahead, a wonderful boon to the single cook (like me) who is entertaining a group of guests at the same time as preparing dinner because the finishing touch is so easy and takes so little time. Use the actual haricots verts if you can find them but if you can't (or you don't want to spring for the higher cost), regular green beans will do just fine.

HARICOTS VERTS IN MUSTARD SAUCE

serves 4-6

12-oz haricots verts, or thin, tender green beans, trimmmed of stem ends

2 T unsalted butter

2 T minced shallots

1/2 C chicken stock, preferably home-made but canned or boxed will do

3 T heavy cream

2 T grainy mustard

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Prepare a waterbath of a big bowl filled with ice cubes and cold water. You will use this to stop the cooking of the beans at the degree of doneness, or tenderness, you want.

2. Bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil and add the green beans. Reduce the heat and simmer 3 to 5 minutes. (If you're using regular green beans, this may take a little longer.) Cook until just tender when pierced with a knife or taste a bean to see if they're done to the tenderness you want. Remember it's better for them to be a little crisp and not quite done than limp and over-cooked. Drain, rinse under cold water and immerse immediately into the water bath, to stop the cooking and set the color. Pat dry and set aside.

The recipe can be made ahead to this stage and the beans kept covered and chilled until ready to go on with the process. I usually wrap the beans in dampened paper towels and stick them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, taking them out at the beginning of the final preparations for the meal. This will allow them to come to room temperature.

3. Melt the butter in a medium-size skillet and add the shallots. Saute over medium heat for 3 minutes.

4. Stir in the stock, cream and mustard, and cook until the mixture is just slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Then add the reserved beans and toss them in the sauce until welll coated and heated through, about 2 minutes.