This lavish side dish is perfect for an endless variety of meals. Cepes are wild mushrooms, called porcini in Italian, that are rarely found fresh. The dried variety is more widely available. If you are unable to find cepes or porcini, other dried or fresh wild mushrooms can also be used, or in a pinch, fresh common mushrooms

3/4 to 1 oz. dry cepes
1 1/4 lbs. fresh green beans, ends removed
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 lg. cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. dry thyme leaves
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Soak cepes in hot water to cover until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms and rinse well. Cut in bite-size pieces.

Add beans to a large pan of boiling salted water and boil until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain beans, rinse under cold running water until cool, then drain thoroughly again; set aside.

In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-low heat, add cepes, garlic and shallot and saute one minute. Cover and reserve. A short time before serving, heat cepe mixture until sizzling. Add remaining oil and heat briefly. Add beans and thyme and saute over medium heat, tossing often, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss with parsley and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 109 cal.; 3 g prot.; 10 g carbo.; 1 g sat.; 5 g mono.; .7 g poly.; 0 g om-3; 0 mg chol.; 74 mg sod.