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The story behind Green Beans with Toasted Walnuts and Prosciutto
Oh, the often forgotten vegetable side.
The afterthought.
The tasteless, often over-cooked, under seasoned, blah, just put it on the plate because we need to eat our vegetables.
Don’t have Prosciutto? Use bacon.
Not this. This recipe for Green Beans with Toasted Walnuts and Prosciutto is not only easy to make, it’s a great addition to any dinner, from simple Oven Braised Chicken, BBQ steak, or a roast. Don’t have Prosciutto? Use bacon. If you do use bacon, you can either cook it first and use some of the bacon fat along with the oil, or drain the fat completely after cooking. I like to use about one tablespoon of the bacon fat along with two tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil when I use bacon. Flavortown!
What is blanching and why do it?
This recipe instructs you to blanch the beans before finishing in the skillet.
Why?
Blanching keeps the beans pretty and green so they are not the color of an army jeep, which, IMHO, is not pretty.
To blanch the bean, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add the green beans and simmer until crisp-tender, about 3 or 4 minutes. If you like your vegetables softer, simmer them a bit longer, 5 – 7 minutes. Have a bowl of ice water standing by, when the time is up, drain the beans into a colander and then put them immediately into the ice water to cool. This sets the color.
Green Beans with Toasted Walnuts and Prosciutto
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans, cut in half if desired, blanched until crisp tender, drained and dried
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 ounce prosciutto, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (I prefer Italian)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Method
Step 1
Heat the oil over a medium high heat in a large sauté pan. When hot, add the walnut pieces, sauté until browned and fragrant (take care not to burn them). Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel.
Add the prosciutto to the oil and fry until crisp; remove to the paper towel to drain. Add the beans, sauté until hot and just beginning to brown a little. Return the walnuts and prosciutto to the pan; add the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.How to Grow Green Beans
Want to grow your own green beans? It’s so easy and there’s nothing better than going out into your own garden and picking them fresh from the vine. Another added plus is kids are much more inclined to eat something they have grown themselves. Here are a couple of great links to show you how easy it is to accomplish.
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Nutritional Info
This information is per serving.
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Calories122
-
Fat10g (1g Sat, 6g Mono, 1g Poly)
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Protein4g
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Carbohydrate6g
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Dietary Fiber3g
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Cholesterol3mg
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Sodium310mg
