Fragrant Green Beans a la Côte D’azur

I first had these marvellous garlicky beans, succulent yet crunchy, at a tiny open-air bistro in the old quarter of Nice. The beans are braised with finely chopped shallots and garlic, to produce a rustic, richly flavoured side dish that goes particularly well with fish. The recipe is best made with the very thin French beans, but will work with ordinary green beans if those are not available.