Green Beans with Shallots

As I've mentioned before, whenever I go on vacation I like to get a cookbook or two.  Matt and I took a trip to San Francisco, Napa Valley and Sonoma last spring.  Besides touring the beautiful sites, tasting some fabulous wines, we also ate very well.  I mean, really really good.  That region is known to be a heaven for foodies and I was in my glory.  That said, one of our favorite wineries was Cakebread Cellars.  From the outside, it didn't look like much, but once we started our tour and tasted the wines, we were impressed.  One thing that makes Cakebread somewhat unique is that in addition to their wines, they are also known for their food.  After our tour, I was so excited that they had copies of their Cakebread cookbooks signed by the owners for sale.  It wasn't even up for questioning-I was getting that cookbook.

This recipe for green beans with shallots is in the cookbook and I love how it explains how to perfectly cook green beans.  The dressing is light enough that it really allows the fresh flavor of the green beans to be the center of this dish, it is not a dressing that masks the natural flavors of the green beans at all but rather enhances it. 

We all tend to get caught in a side dish rut every now and then, so I am really looking forward to including this not boring recipe in my future meals.  Green beans go with almost everything in my book.

Green Beans with Shallots
12 ounces shallots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
Black pepper
8 ounces green beans, stem ends trimmed

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place the shallots on a large piece of aluminum foil.  Pour the olive oil and vinegar over the shallots.  Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly.  Fold and seal the foil to create a pouch.  Set on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, until tender, browned and caramelized.

Meanwhile, heat a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the green beans and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until al dente.  Transfer to a colander to drain, and rinse under cold water to stop them from cooking.

When the shallots are cooked, remove from the oven, open the foil, add the beans, and toss in the foil to mix well.  Transfer to a serving platter or bowl.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.


Source: The Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Cookbook