Haricots Verts With Bacon And Chestnuts Recipes

HARICOTS VERTS WITH PANCETTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the haricots verts and cook until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain, then plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain again, then transfer to paper towels and pat dry.
• Cook the pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove to paper towels using a slotted spoon. Add the garlic to the drippings in the skillet and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the panko and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 1 minute.
• Add the haricots verts to the skillet and cook, stirring, until evenly coated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pancetta and season with salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.
• Photo by Con Poulos

PERFECT HARICOTS VERTS

Steps:

• Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil over medium heat. Set up a bowl of ice water and season it generously with salt.
• Add the beans to the boiling water and cook them until they are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Bite a bean to be sure they are properly cooked. Put them immediately in the bowl of salted ice water to stop the cooking or to "shock" them. When they are cold, remove them from the water and let them dry a little.
• Coat a large saute pan with both clarified butter and olive oil. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat, add the shallots and brown. Add the haricot vert, season with salt and saute until all the beans are coated with oil and hot. Serve immediately or later at room temperature.

GLAZED CHESTNUTS WITH HARICOTS VERTS

Steps:

• Cook shallot in 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add chestnuts, broth, and liqueur and simmer, swirling skillet occasionally, until liquid is evaporated and chestnuts are glazed, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then remove from heat and keep warm.
• Cook beans in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander, then transfer beans with tongs to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain well.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until lightly browned. Add beans and toss until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve beans topped with chestnuts.
• *Available at some supermarkets and specialty foods shops.
• **Available at Laird & Co. (877-438-5247).

HARICOT VERT ( FRENCH GREEN BEANS) WITH BACON AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Blanch Haricot verts.
• Fry bacon with onion until crispy and onions are caramelized.
• Add bacon and onions to the blanched beans.
• Add vinegar and sugar mix well and serve.

HARICOTS VERTS WITH WALNUTS AND WALNUT OIL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the walnuts in a small baking dish. Bake until you can hear the walnuts sizzling or smell them when you open the oven door, about 5 minutes. (Set your timer!) Remove from the oven and coarsely chop. Set aside and keep warm.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water, seasoned with sea salt so that it tastes like ocean water, to a boil. Add the haricots verts and cook until they are just tender but still firm, about 4 minutes. (Don't overcook: they will continue to cook out of the water.) Drain, then spread out on a clean kitchen towel to soak up the excess water.
• Gather the beans while hot and toss in a bowl with the warm walnuts and the walnut oil. Season generously to taste with pepper and perhaps a little more salt. Serve now or later. (They're lovely after a few hours too.)

HARICOTS VERTS WITH WARM BACON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Cook beans in boiling water for 7 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and plunge beans into ice water, drain.
• Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp; remove with a slotted spoon. Add shallots to drippings in pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender. Combine shallots and bacon in a large bowl. Add beans to pan; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Add beans, oil, vinegar, and salt to bacon mixture; toss to combine. Sprinkle with walnuts and parsley.

HARICOTS VERTS WITH BACON AND CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Cook beans in a medium pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 4 quarts water), uncovered, until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain and plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain well and pat dry.
• Cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels, reserving fat in skillet, then crumble. Add butter to fat in skillet along with beans, chestnuts, bacon, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.