Green Beans with Almonds and Cranberries
It’s time to start the Thanksgiving countdown! To help inspire your menu for Thanksgiving dinner, we’re going to post our favorite dishes. To begin the Thanksgiving countdown, here is fresh alternative to the traditional green bean casserole. You’ll toss the green beans in a cranberry reduction and top them with toasted almonds and cranberries.
Let me just say that Thanksgiving is the chef’s favorite holiday. The first year we were together, he actually made Thanksgiving dinner 3 times in November! We had Friendsgiving, and then Thanksgiving with each of our families. With all this practice, he sure knows how to make great sides. We hope you enjoy trying this recipe for green beans with almonds and cranberries.
Ingredients
12 oz french green beans
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 T apple cider vinegar
1 medium shallot
6 cloves garlic
1/4 slivered almonds
1/2 stick cold butter
Instructions
1
Add 1 cup boiling water to 1/2 cup dried cranberries in a heat resistant bowl or large glass measuring cup. Let sit until cranberries are plump. Strain cranberries and reserve liquid.
2
Add reserved cranberry liquid, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 T apple cider vinegar to a sauce pan. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Reduce liquid until syrupy.
3
Bring a 4 qt pan of salted water to a boil. Prepare 4 cups of ice water in a separate bowl. Blanch green beans in salted boiling water until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Then quickly place green beans in ice cold water. Shocking the green beans stops the cooking process and keeps them bright green.
4
Toast almonds in dry, hot pan for a few minutes or until you smell a nutty aroma. Thinly slice garlic and shallots. Quickly fry lightly in olive oil on medium heat.
5
Take the cranberry syrup and place in blender with 1/2 of the shallot and garlics. Blend on medium to high speed. Carefully add cubed chilled butter and blend until sauce has a thickened consistency.
6
Toss sauce with green beans to combine. Transfer to oven safe dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 5-10 minutes until warm. Then top with toasted almonds, fried garlic and shallots, and cranberries.
