French Green Bean & Carrot Ring

You won’t believe how delicious these veggies are with just a few tweaks in ingredients and variations in technique. An elegant main-stage, side dish!

Whenever I think, “What vegetable dish should I serve?” this recipe comes to mind. Green beans and carrots? How prosaic! But not these.

What makes these beans and carrots French? Not sure but it’s probably how delicious they are! However, I was introduced to this recipe in a French cooking class. So easy, they require different cooking techniques that make them unique that help them retain their intense colors and flavors.

The compound butter with garlic and herbs and the crunch of the toasted almonds play their part creating delightful contrasts. But I credit the squirt of lemon juice for waking the beans up so we pay attention. The addition of chicken broth and butter to the cooking liquid, velvetize the carrots and give them a luscious flavor.

Serve them side-by-side for a vibrant contrast of colors - a worthy centerpiece. Move over roast and chicken - there’s a competitor on the dinner table for star!

French Green Beans and carrots with almonds & Garlic-Herb Butter

Lemon Carrots:

1 package baby carrots, peeled

3 tablespoons butter

1 ½ cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced parsley

Salt and pepper to taste 

-Melt butter in medium saucepan.  Add carrots and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour chicken stock over carrots and cover pot.  Simmer over medium heat for about 15  minutes.  Remove lid from the pot and continue simmering until carrots are tender and broth is almost completely evaporated.  Stir in lemon juice, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. 

French Green Beans with Almonds and Herb Butter:

          2 cups green beans, (Haricot Vert - French beans) stems removed

          1/4 cup soft butter

          2 small cloves garlic, mashed

          1 tablespoon Herb de Provence, or minced tarragon, chives, marjoram,

and parsley

          Salt and pepper to taste

          1/3 cup toasted almonds 

          -In medium saucepan, cook beans in boiling salted water until beans are an intense green and tender-crisp.  Drain and place in a large bowl filled with water and ice to shock the beans and keep the intense color.  Let sit 2 minutes then drain. 

          -In small bowl, mix the softened butter, garlic and herbs with a fork until smooth. 

          -Just before serving, heat the beans in the microwave then toss with the butter and almonds.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

So easy and so elegantly delicious. Great for a side for a big family gathering or buffet.

PERSNICKETY NOTES:

**Using the baby carrots is so much easier and faster, I rarely use a whole carrot anymore. They are already peeled, the right size and just sweet enough.

**French Green Beans are the best choice for this recipe, though any fresh green beans will do. Haricot Vert (French Green Beans) are long and thin and more tender than many other varieties, with a fresh, light flavor. They are easily found in the produce section in grocery stores, bagged and already trimmed and ready to go.