Recipe: Green Beans with Walnuts

Green Beans with Walnuts
rec.food.cooking: Sheryl Rosen

This recipe came from the 1994 Bon Appetit thanksgiving issue. I've modified it slightly. It called for blanched fresh green beans, I substitute frozen haricot verts, the really thin beans. Frozen whole green beans would be ok, too, but I found the delicacy of the thin beans was nicer with the walnuts.

This is a lighter (in heaviness, though probably not fat) alternative to the green-beans-in-mushroom-soup-with-fried-onions dish that many people serve on thanksgiving.. It's also very quick to prepare, and if you leave the beans out of the freezer to thaw, and toast the nuts ahead of time, you can put this together in 3-4 minutes, right before the turkey is carved.

1 pound of frozen haricots verts (I get mine at Trader Joes), rinsed under cool water to thaw.

2 shallots, minced

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted in a skillet over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes. Careful not to burn them!

1/3 cup walnut oil

Fresh minced parsley

In a large skillet, in a tablespoon of butter, saute the minced shallots until slightly golden brown. Reduce heat to low and add the walnut oil. Let it get warm. Toss in the defrosted green beans, and toss to coat well with the oil. Salt to taste. Heat on low about 2-3 minutes, till beans are heated through. Add the parsley and toasted nuts, and toss well to coat with the oil. Serve immediately.

This is a favorite side dish I serve often throughout the year.