Quick Green Beans Recipe With Brown Buttered Walnuts & Caramelized Shallots by Chef Gigi

I love to cook green beans, especially haricots verts, which are so delicious and so tender. They are the French variety typically slimmer and longer than the common green bean we see here in America.

Can't find haricots verts? You can use any fresh green bean for this easy vegetable recipe. You could also use pecans or almonds instead of walnuts.

Cuisine: French
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 1 - 2 pounds fresh haricots verts, root ends trimmed
• 4 - 6 ounces unsalted butter or 3 - 4 teaspoons good-quality olive oil
• 4 - 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 6 - 8 large shallots, cleaned and sliced thin
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup good-quality chicken stock, vegetable stock or white wine
• 2 springs fresh thyme
• squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup browned buttered walnuts
• 1 orange, zested

Browned Butter Walnuts

• 1 pound halved walnuts
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Here's how to make it: 

1. Bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the haricots verts and cook until just tender, about 1 minute. Transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath. Drain. Pat dry.
2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and sauté until they are browning and nicely caramelized, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook an additional minute.
3. Add the haricots verts and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until just heated through and crisp-tender. Deglaze the pan very quickly with the chicken stock. Add the fresh thyme and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice toss. Add toasted walnuts and toss. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper one last time and top with orange zest. Serve warm.
4. To make the browned butter walnuts, in a large sauté pan over medium heat melt the butter. Add the walnuts and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes. Toss in the sugar at the last minute and stir until melted. Remove from the heat and pour into a single layer on a baking sheet to cool. Dust with salt and pepper while warm.

Notes: The walnuts will brown fast in the butter so be sure to remove them from the hot pan and cool quickly or you will risk over-browning.

Variations: Add cooked bacon bits, pancetta, lemon zest, almonds or a splash of cream.

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