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Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots

Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots

The first of our Thanksgiving recipes!

For those of you who have been here since the beginning, you might remember these green beans as part of the very first post for the BEST pork chops ever!

Usually, I wouldn’t do a repeat of a recipe but these beans are so dang good, they deserve a post of their own.

They are tasty, easy and would make a perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving feast!

Here’s what you need:

Fresh Green Beans, Shallot, Butter, Salt & Pepper.

If you can find the super skinny green beans, all the better, but really any old fresh green beans will do.

Click HERE for a Handy-Dandy Shopping List

We need to snip the ends off the beans. I think the easiest and fastest way is to line up the beans on a cutting board…

and then slice across to remove the very end tips.

Place the beans in a large pan and fill with water to cover the beans.  Bring the beans to a boil over high heat and cook for only 4-5 minutes until still very crisp but tender when poked with a sharp knife.

While the beans are cooking grab a shallot.

Shallots are members of the onion family but have a milder flavor. They are delicious. In my store they are sold in these little bags of 2 or 3 shallots. You might also be able to find them in bulk in the section near the onions and garlic.

Remove the ends and the outer brown peel of the shallot. Cut small slices into the top of the shallot and then cut across those slices to make a small dice.

When the beans are tender but still crisp, drain them and immediately put them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

This is called “shocking” the beans. It will help them keep their beautiful green color and also keep them crisp.

This is a great DO AHEAD recipe which is especially important on days like Thanksgiving when your oven and stove will be busy all day. You can make the beans ahead and let them hang out in the cool ice water until you are close to serving dinner. Then all you will need to do is make the shallots and warm up the beans.

To caramelize the shallots, melt about 2 Tablespoons of butter in your pan. When the butter is foamy but not brown, add the chopped shallots.

Cooking over medium low to low heat, stir the shallots until they begin to turn a beautiful golden brown. This will take a few minutes. Remember we want to caramelize the shallots bringing out all of their delicious sugars and flavors. We do not want little brown burned shallot bits, so keep the heat on low.

After a few minutes the shallots will begin to turn a beautiful golden color. Keep stirring until they are all caramelized and yummy.

When the shallots look golden and delicious, add the beans back to the pan to warm them up. Season with salt and pepper.

Honestly, this is absolutely my favorite way to cook green beans!

Add these to your Thanksgiving table and your guests will thank you.

Coming tomorrow….sweet potatoes that will change your life.

Here’s the bean recipe:

Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots

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