french green bean gremolata with a twist
Photo by The Culinary Nest + Jaclyn Misch
I LOVE Gremolata. Traditionally, it a blend of fresh parsley, garlic, & lemon but this version features a twist by replacing the lemon with orange, along with some other ingredients… and oh, what a delightful twist it is! By blanching the beans prior to sautéing, the color is at its most vibrant green. This recipe lends itself to the holiday season and comes together so quickly. If you are in need of a beautiful showstopping meal try this with Tarragon Mustard Cornish Hens + Honey Cumin Roasted Carrots.
Jaclyn Misch (@jaclynmisch, Wine Educator + Marketer) and I worked together on created a French Inspired Meal + Wine Pairing for the French Ministry of Agriculture and this recipe was one of the side dishes created. Check out her full blog post on the experience here.
Recipe by: The Culinary Nest
MAKES
6-8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
16oz. french green beans, washed
1/4 cup fresh parsley, stems removed & lightly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 orange, zest of
1/4 cup parmesan, grated
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil
METHOD
In a small pan over medium heat, at the pine nuts and stir frequently until fragrant and toasted, about 3-5 minutes. Place on a plate to cool and set aside.
In a medium bowl, make the gremolata by combining the parsley, garlic, orange zest, parmesan and a generous pinch of salt & pepper. Once the pine nuts are cooled, add them also. Mix well and set aside.
Start by blanching the green beans to start the cooking process and bring out the bright green hue of the beans. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with cold water and add a cup of ice and set aside. Have an empty medium sized bowl ready for the last step to hold the blanched beans. Working in batches, take one handful of beans, and drop them into the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove from water and place into the ice bowl. Add another handful of beans to the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove the first batch to beans from the ice water once cooled and place into the empty medium bowl. Repeat this process until all beans are blanched, cooled and removed from the ice water. Pat the beans dry as best as possible.
Heat a large sized pan over medium heat and add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. Once hot, add the green beans, a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss frequently until heated through & tender to a fork, about 5-8 minutes.
Place the heated beans on a platter, add salt & pepper if desired, and top with the gremolata mixture. Enjoy!
