'Grilling beans is the perfect halfway point between too soft and too al dente' – this side dish is packed with flavor and crunch

Vegetables cooked al dente are not really a thing in the Middle East; it’s either raw or very cooked, and green beans are no exception. In fact, the first time I had to cook an al dente bean was while working in London and I was a little thrown: ‘What do they mean by blanch for 90 seconds?’

I grudgingly grew accustomed to them until I discovered grilled beans and, to my delight, found a halfway point between not overly soft and not overly crunchy either. That and the char, which gives these beans a lovely smoky flavour. I just had to share this recipe for my Homes & Gardens exclusive, How I Host... with Noor Murad, and I hope you'll love it too.

Ingredients (serves 4 as a side)

• 1lb green beans, trimmed
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus an extra 1 tbsp to serve
• 2½oz feta, roughly crumbled
• fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• For the lemon dressing
• 1½ unwaxed lemons
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped (6¼oz)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• ⅛ oz oregano leaves, roughly chopped
• ⅛ oz parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp maple syrup

The Homes & Gardens method

1. Place a griddle (grill) pan over a medium-high heat (or use a large cast-iron pan). We love this Le Creuset cast iron skinny grill from Williams Sonoma, plus it's pretty enough to serve straight to the table if you have a heat-proof mat.
2. In a large bowl, toss the beans with the tablespoon of oil, ½ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper.
3. Once the pan is hot, add a third of the beans to the pan, spreading in a single layer, and cook for 5 minutes without turning. Carefully turn the beans over and cook for 3–4 minutes more or until charred and softened (don’t worry if they’re not perfectly charred).
4. Transfer to a tray to cool, then continue in this way with the remaining beans. Keep the griddle pan on the heat.
5. For the dressing, first cut the lemon half into five ¼in rounds, discarding any pips and grill for about a minute on each side, until browned but not overly charred.
6. Transfer to a cutting board and finely chop them, skins and all.
7. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil to a medium skillet and place over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, turn down the heat to medium and cook until softened and lightly browned, stirring occasionally, for about 12 minutes.
8. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool to room temperature, then stir in the chopped grilled lemon, garlic, herbs, maple syrup, remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, ¼ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper.
9. Juice the remaining lemon to get 1½ tablespoons of juice and then stir this in too.
10. To serve, spread half the charred beans on a large platter, sprinkle with half the feta and spoon over half the dressing.
11. Repeat with the remaining beans, feta and dressing and drizzle with the extra tablespoon of oil.

This fresh and zesty recipe pairs beautifully with fish. Try it with our fire-pit salmon, although you might want to skip the lemon relish in that recipe to avoid overkill, or make it with some of our summer salad recipes for an elevated summer feast.