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Dinner Tonight: Green Bean Salad With Cream

Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, September 26, 2007 at 5:00 PM

More green beans? I had lots of skirt steak left over from my Monday binge, and so I needed a little green to side along with all that beef that had to be eaten. These beans were hanging around, and I thought they’d complete the meal nicely.

And they are convenient. Since they are eaten cold, preparation can happen whenever. The beans keep nicely in the fridge for a day or two. The fiancée and I suggested saving some for a dinner party the next day but mid-meal decided it was a better idea to eat it all that night.

While the above picture makes these beans out to be as artery-clogging as the meat, that cream is crème fraîche, and it’s tangy and light. I originally couldn’t find it at my local grocer, and looked up exciting tales of making it from scratch. It requires buttermilk cultures and whole days to prepare. That’s about when I just caved in and drove to Whole Foods. They should have it close to the cheese section next to the goat cheese, and not by the milk, where I had first checked.

Green Bean Salad with Cream

- serves 4 -
Adapted from Guy Savoy: Simple French Recipes.

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds green beans, preferably haricots verts
Juice of 1 lemon
1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 bunch of fresh chives, chopped
Salt and pepper

Procedure

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the beans. Cook until tender, about 5-8 minutes, depending on the size. Drain, and then dump in ice water to stop cooking. Drain again, and then set in the fridge.

2. Mix the lemon juice, minced shallot, and creme fraiche in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Combine the creamy mixture with the beans, garnish with the attractive chives, and eat.

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Tags: crème fraîche, Dinner Tonight, green bean salad, green beans, vegetables, vegetarian

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