Thursday, January 7, 2010

Green Bean Bundles



Another hit from The Pastry Queen, these green bean bundles are so fun and delicious!  Who doesn't want their food wrapped in bacon?  They were a festive addition to our New Year's Day spread.  The marinade gives the beans a great flavor, and as the bacon cooks, the beans absorb that delicious salty, smoky flavor.  They are perfect to make ahead and just bake off while you prepare the more labor intensive dishes of your meal.  These would also be great served as an appetizer on a buffet. 

Seriously, The Pastry Queen is quickly moving up the ranks as one of my favorite chefs.  I have yet to make anything that wasn't absolutely delightful, and I'm looking forward to working my way through her cookbooks!



Green Bean Bundles
adapted from The Pastry Queen Christmas, by Rebecca Rather
yields 6-8 servings
  • 1 1/2 lbs green beans, washed and trimmed
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 ounces of bacon, each piece cut in half width-wise
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat, and blanch the beans 3-4 minutes, or until they are bright green in color and pliable but still very crunchy.  Drain and run them under cold water.  Place in a shallow, ovenproof casserole dish and pat dry with a paper towel.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the garlic, mustard, salt, and brown sugar.  Pour the mixture over the green beans, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375.  Gather 8-9 beans at a time and make bundles.  Wrap with a slice of the (halved) bacon, and lie seam-side down in a greased baking sheet or casserole dish.  Pour remaining marinade over the top.

Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes, or until the bacon is cooked through and the beans look wrinkled.  Cook under the broiler for an additional 1-2 minutes to crisp the bacon even more, if desired.  Serve warm or at room temperature.


15 comments:

Melissa said...

These looks fancy and fantastic. I love your serving dish.

Erin @ OneParticular Kitchen said...

How pretty and fun! Are the green beans still crunchy at the end of the baking or are they pretty soft by then?

Josie said...

Hi Erin,
They were softer than I typically would eat my green beans, but they did have a little bit of a crunch to them... I think putting them under the broiler for a few minutes helped. I think if you parcooked the bacon in the microwave before wrapping it around the bundles you could bake them for even less time and have crunchier beans.
Josie

Alaina said...

I am really enjoying all of your recipes. YOU are quickly moving up the ranks as one of my favorite blogging chefs! Great work in all that you put into this. Thanks for sharing your passion!

Erin said...

This is on my list of things to make as well! I have all of the Pastry Queen cookbooks now and I want to make pretty much all of her recipes! These look fabulous :)

Anonymous said...

Oh, these look so good! I love green beans and bacon. The marinade sounds great! Thanks for sharing. :)

Liz said...

Wow! These look amazing! Excellent photo.

oneordinaryday said...

That cookbook is on my wish list at amazon. Everything I've seen from it looks wonderful, and your green beans are no exception.

Amy said...

These sound really yummy and I love the presentation! This is on my list of things to make now :-)

Amy of Sing For Your Supper said...

My mom makes these every Christmas! They're SO good! Yours look wonderful!

-Amy
www.singforyoursupperblog.com

melissa said...

Just found your blog from The Novice Chef's blogroll and wanted to tell you how much I enjoy it! I read your year in review post and now I want to make everything listed! YUM!

Josie said...

I'm glad you found me, for the love! I hope you keep finding things you like here! :-)
Josie

Karine said...

Great way o eat green beans! Thanks for sharing :)

Chelle said...

I just wanted to thank you for this recipe. I have made it dozens of times since discovering your version here and everyone has raved over it. I adapted it for asparagus, and it is equally divine. Thanks a million!

Cathy K said...

These look great and are perfect for a side dish for a dinner party. Do you think I could cook them at home then broil them at the host house just before the dinner?

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