Green Beans with Georgian Mint–Chili Sauce

Adjika are a broad family of pepper-based pastes eaten throughout the Caucasus Mountains. We use a green variety, sharp with herbal flavors and spiked with chilies, to pair with the sweetness of crisply blanched green beans. We like the pleasant heat of the sauce when made with two whole chilies and two seeded. For a milder version, seed all four. Allowing the adjika to rest for an hour gives the flavors a chance to bloom. And don't stop at green beans. Marinate sliced tomatoes in adjika for a better BLT or simple tomato salad; toss it with nectarine slices and lemon juice and then arrange the dressed fruit on buttered toast that's been smeared by goat cheese; mix it into warm pasta with olive oil and sautéed vegetables for a quick sauce.