Thursday, April 22, 2010

Green Beans with Crispy Shallots

A few months ago I did a cooking demonstration at Highfield Hall in Falmouth with my very talented nephew, Nicholas Flowers. He's in his junior year at BU attending their hospitality program, and will be pursuing a career as a professional chef. I have no doubt that he'll be very successful. Nicholas contributed this delicious recipe, which makes a lovely accompaniment to lamb, beef, or a roasted chicken.


Green Beans with Crispy Shallots
1 pound green beans, stems removed
2 tbsp olive oil
3 large shallots
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Boil a large pot of salted water and prep a large bowl of ice water. Blanch the beans in the boiling water for about 2.5 minutes, then immediately transfer them to the ice water to stop the cooking. (This step can be done in advance if necessary, but the beans must be removed from the water as soon as they are cool to prevent them from getting water logged.)


Slice 1 shallot, keeping the rings whole and the slices about 1/16 in thick.

 

Chop the other 2 shallots into a small dice.


In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil on medium-high until hot but not smoking. Add the sliced shallots and cook until dark and crispy.


Remove these shallots from the pan and set asisde.  Add the butter to the pan and when it's melted and hot add the remaining diced shallots. Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes until tender but not crispy. Add the blanched beans, and salt and pepper. Add the lemon zest after one minute and cook until the beans are hot. Remove from heat, add the lemon juice and top with sliced shallots. Serve hot. Enjoy!


Update on Nicholas (added 14 Nov 2011): Nicholas graduated from BU's School of Hospitality in 2010 and has landed a job with SAP, the German software company working as a consultant in their retail software division. I guess the restaurant plans are on hold for now. 

4 comments:

  1. aww shucks.

    Thanks for the praise! I couldn't have gotten this far without you!

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  2. Can't wait to dine at your restaurant!

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  3. This receipe looks delicious. I'll definitely try it. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Judy, now this is a good one for a vegetarian ;-)

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