Steamed Green Beans and Carrots with Charmoula Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 lb. French-style green beans, ends trimmed
• 1/2 lb. carrots, trimmed into sticks the same thickness as beans
• 1 large clove garlic, slightly chopped
• 1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. hot or smoked paprika
• 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Pour a few inches of water into a steamer, or use a large pot with a steamer insert, and heat it until it boils. As the water warms, snip or trim the green bean ends, then slice the carrots into sticks that are about as thick as the beans.
2. Once the water is boiling and making steam, put in the carrots and cook them for 3 minutes. Add the green beans after that, and continue steaming for 4-5 minutes more, until the vegetables are cooked but still have a little snap.
3. While the vegetables cook, give the garlic a rough chop. Rinse the cilantro and parsley, dry them well, and chop them coarsely.
4. Put the garlic, cilantro, and parsley into a food processor with the steel blade. Pulse until the mixture begins to break down into small, fine pieces.
5. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, and ground cumin, then pulse again until the sauce comes together. Start with the lesser amount of paprika and cumin, then taste before deciding whether to add more. Add salt and pepper to suit your taste.
6. When the vegetables are ready, let them drain for a few minutes. Transfer them to a bowl and toss with about half of the sauce.
7. Move the vegetables to a serving platter and spoon the remaining sauce over the top. Add salt and fresh ground black pepper if you like, and serve hot or warm.
8. For make-ahead Thanksgiving prep, prepare the sauce one day ahead and refrigerate it. Bring it back to room temperature before using it in the recipe.