Green beans are a staple side dish at many tables, particularly for Thanksgiving. However, they’re often cooked in a creamy mushroom sauce and topped with fried onions. While tasty, the dish is also high in fat and calories and very rich. Roasting the beans with shallots, a small amount of oil and finishing them with sea salt and a little lemon juice lightens up green beans without sacrificing flavour. It's also a vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dish so it can be enjoyed by everyone.
Roasting Vegetables
Oven roasting vegetables is an excellent way to boost their flavour. Roasting them at a high temperature (usually between 425 and 475 degrees Fahrenheit) in a dry oven concentrates their sweetness and adds a bit of char to the edges. Tomatoes, root vegetables, peppers, corn, squash, onions and some crucifers such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are particularly well suited to this method. Most vegetables only need a short roast at a high temperature to emerge tender and bursting with flavour. It’s a great way to boost the taste of basic vegetables without adding a lot of fat.
Equipment
Successful vegetable roasting doesn’t require a lot of fancy equipment. Large roasting pans or rimmed baking sheets can be found at any kitchen store and many supermarkets. Look for ones that are sturdy with a heavy bottom and make sure the pan is large enough that the vegetables can be spread out in one layer without overlapping. Lining a roasting pan with parchment paper can help prevent vegetables from sticking and will conserve precious juices that can be added to sauces or poured over the finished dish. A timer is crucial when roasting at high temperatures so the vegetables don’t burn – it only takes them a couple of minutes to go from perfect to scorched.
Preparing the Ingredients
Fresh green beans are readily available at any grocery store. They’re often sold in bulk so try to choose ones that are relatively the same size so they will cook evenly. To prepare them, wash the beans and trim the end where the stem was attached to the vine. The ends can be easily snapped off or trimmed with a knife or kitchen scissors.
Shallots look like small, elongated onions and taste like a cross between an onion and garlic. They can be peeled and sliced just like onions. The key to roasting sliced shallots without burning is to slice them into relatively thick rings – at least ¼”. They will become dark quite quickly so it’s important to monitor them closely so they don’t burn.
Roasted Green Beans with Shallots
Makes about 4 side dish servings – can easily be doubled
- 12 oz. (340 g) fresh green beans, trimmed (see note above) - equals about 3 cups of beans
- 2 small shallots, cut into rings about ¼” thick
- 4 teaspoons neutral oil, such as canola or safflower
- Parchment paper to line baking sheet or pan
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- Sea salt, to taste
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the baking rack in the middle position in the oven.
- In a large bowl, toss green beans with shallots and oil until they are lightly coated. Cut a piece of parchment paper to the same size as the bottom of a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Line the sheet and pour the bean/shallot mixture onto it, making sure they’re in a single layer.
- Roast the beans for 10 minutes. Check on them at this point – if the shallots and beans are becoming very brown, remove them from the oven. Otherwise, roast for another 5 minutes until the beans are beginning to char around the edges.
- To serve, season with sea salt and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
 |
