Tuesday, February 1, 2011

French Cut Green Beans with Hazelnut Butter



Finding a sumptuous side dish is not always easy.  Finding one that is quick, easy, delicious, and can be made ahead nearly impossible.  This recipe is the exception.  Every time I prepare these I get compliments, often from people who don't care for hazelnuts.  Toasting them and chopping them as finely as possible imparts a nutty flavor without an overpowering hazelnut taste, and adds a little extra crunch to the beans.

These can be made with green beans that have not been French cut (you'll need to cook them longer in this case -- 6 to 8 minutes), but I strongly suggest you give this little French cutting tool a try.  I found mine at the Viking store, but it is available from Amazon as well (click on image directly below to go to the page).  Never, I beg you, used canned or (horrors!) frozen green beans.  This is so quick and easy, not to mention actually fun to do.
Norpro French Bean Slicer
Norpro French Bean Slicer



Snip the tip off of the fresh green bean using the cutting blade at the end.
Pull the green bean through the cutting blades to French cut.
It took me less than five minutes to French cut this entire pile of green beans.
Slice beans in half, or they'll be too unwieldy on the plate.
Combine first six ingredients in a small bowl.
Finely chop toasted hazelnuts, add to bowl, and stir together to make hazelnut butter.
Top cooked green beans with butter and allow it to melt into them.


French Cut Green Beans with Hazelnut Butter


2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and finely chopped
1/2 to 3/4 lb green beans, trimmed



Stir together butter, shallot, zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until combined. Add hazelnuts and stir until combined well.  Set aside.

Wash fresh greens beans, pat dry with a paper towel, snip off ends, and run through the green bean Frenching tool.  Cut French-cut beans in half.  Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil and drop in green beans.  When water has returned to boiling, cook for 3-5 minutes until beans are tender.
Drain beans in a colander, then return hot beans to pot and toss with hazelnut butter.

This recipe can be made ahead.  You can blanch the green beans and refrigerate for up to two days.  The hazelnut butter can be made ahead as well and kept similarly for two days.

Makes 2 ample portions


This is linked to:


Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays



12 comments:

  1. These look wonderful. I love green beans. I'm bookmarking this recipe.

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  2. That looks terrific. I make mine with almonds usually and my hubby LOVES it and he really loves the french cut green beans but... *confession* I use the frozen ones, hehe. Neat little tool you have. I think the hazelnuts would be divine.

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  3. What a neat tool! These beans sound wonderful with the hazelnut butter.

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  4. What a fun little gadget! I always wondered how people did that! Seemed way to tedious to do by hand. I love that you can get this ready a couple days ahead - it would be perfect for a holiday dish! I am late but thanks for linking this to the Hearth and Soul Hop!

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  5. Wow, doesn't this sound great! I just bought green (and yellow) bean seeds this weekend for the garden, can't wait:@) Your Frenching tool looks like fun, thanks so much for sharing it with the Gadget Party:@) Happy Valentine's Day Pattie!

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  6. Your beans look devine!! I have one of those nifty frenchers!! Perfect for canning beans :)

    Blessings!
    Gail

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  7. This looks and sounds so tasty!!! What a cute device...
    Have a beautiful week!!!

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  8. I am planning on french cut green beans with pine nuts tomorrow night (Valentine's Dinner) and this little gadget would really help! Your recipe looks good too--we love green beans here. Linda :)

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  9. Another gadget that I haven't seen before! This is a handy little guy and I believe you that it went quickly. Looks so yummy too.

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  10. I wonder if the person who designed this had spent hours dreaming it up while slicing beans or from watching his mother slice the beans and would rather dream of a device than help her.
    (and I bet a woman had a lot to say about the final design.)

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  11. Looks good, and what a handy tool. I don't know how I lived without my cherry pitter!

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  12. This looks quite fabulous. Now do you have a shortcut for the hazelnuts? I have some in the freezer.

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Thank you so much for commenting, I love every one of them! I am, however, unable to respond to anonymous comments.