Green Beans, Breadcrumbs & Parmesan

Ingredients

1. 2 lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed

2. two pieces of bread, heels work best (or store bought breadcrumbs)

3. 1/3 cup plus 1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

4. ¼ cup heavy cream

5. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6. ½  cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

7. Finely grated zest of one Meyer lemon – worth looking for the Meyer lemon, because they have a softer flowery fragrance

8. ¼ cup fresh Meyer lemon juice – less acidic than standard lemons (if you use a regular lemon for zest and juice, add 1 tsp of honey)

Make the breadcrumbs (EASY/FAST):

Heat the oven to 325°F. In a small bowl, pinch or break apart bread  into very small pieces. Toss the bread pieces with 1 TBS of oil, a generous pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast about 8-10 minutes. Let cool and then transfer to a bowl.  Mix in the parm cheese.

Make the vinaigrette:

In a medium bowl, whisk lemon zest and juice, cream, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Slowly whisk in 1/3 cup oil.

Steam the string beans:

Place beans in a microwavable dish with lid in about 1/4 inch water.  On high, cook for about 4 to 6 minutes.  Check tenderness, and cook more if desired.  Or boil in a large pot of water over high heat, again about 4 to 6 minutes. Drain beans well and pat dry. Toss the beans with the vinaigrette. Transfer the beans to a serving platter and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.

#greenbeans #Thanksgiving #vegetable