Simple Green Beans with Crispy Shallots

On Sunday I shared the Roast Squash with Sage Hazelnut Pesto that I cooked for the Man's birthday dinner last year. Along with the squash, green beens were another request, as was a juicy pork chop.  Since the squash has many intense flavors, I wanted to make the beans a little special without complicating things too much. My favorite straightforward way to jazz up green beans is with sautéed shallots. They are very flavorful, super easy, and incredibly versatile (summer BBQ, Thanksgiving, Christmas- you name it). I grilled the pork with a little salt and pepper, added a simply dressed green salad to the plate, and birthday dinner (Man food!) was ready. 

SIMPLE GREEN BEANS WITH CRISPY SHALLOTS

• 12 oz green beans, topped and tailed as needed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large shallots, sliced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Add the green beans to a pot of salted boiling water, and blanch for 1-3 minutes until crisp tender. Drain and then shock in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again and pat dry.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the shallots and cook until golden brown, tossing occasionally. Add the green beans to the pan, and toss with the shallots. Cook just until the beans are warmed through (only a couple of minutes). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4