Festive Green Bean Bundles
Healthy colorful green beans, bundled in leek ties or green onions, blanched in lemon, herbs and olive oil, served with tri-colored peppers or tomatoes.
Servings 6 servings
Equipment
- Baking dish
- Saute pan with lid
Ingredients
- 12 oz Green Beans/ Haricot Vert trim tips off
- 1 Long Leek or 3 spring onions
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 lb Tri Colored peppers or tomatoes confetti chopped
- 1 Shallot confetti chopped
- 1 Lemon juice and zest
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- Fresh herbs thyme and oregano
Instructions
- Have a large bowl with cold water and a handful of ice cubes in the water, ready. Prep the leek by cutting off the root end and tip, leaving the leek as long as possible. Take a sharp knife and make a cut through the leek, from top to bottom to open it. Pull out and separate about 10 leaves that are tender. Or if using spring onions, slice down the center lengthwise into two long strips.
- In a large saute pan with a lid, boil 1-inch of water with a pinch of salt. Lay the leeks in, lid off, quickly move them around just a second or two to soften but not cook. Spring onions will blanch even faster than leeks, so drop in and remove immediately. Pull them out and drop them into the ice water bath. Once they feel cold, remove them to drain. Add more ice if needed.
- Drop the green beans into the boiling water and this time put the lid on. Watch them closely. As soon as they start to turn a vibrant green, about 3-minutes, remove them quickly and toss them into the ice water bath. Move them around until they feel cold. Remove and drain.
- On a flat surface, prepare 6 bundles of neatly stacked green beans, 8-10 green beans per bundle. Slide one leek or spring onion, under the bundle and tie it into a knot. Set each bundle into the baking dish you plan to warm them in. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the zest of a lemon. If not ready to use them, simply cover and pop in the fridge until you are ready.
- In a medium bowl, place the confetti chopped peppers, shallots, salt and pepper to taste, the juice from one whole lemon, olive oil and fresh herbs. Toss gently to coat the ingredients well.
- When ready. Heat the oven to 350. Spoon the marinated peppers evenly over the green bean bundles, pour all the juice over the beans, cover and heat for about 5-minutes. Do not over cook. Serve.
Video
Notes
If you don't prefer peppers, tri-colored cherry tomatoes can be used in place of the peppers and are equally delightful.