Green Beans and Bacon

Recipe by Amanda Long, food blogger at The Homemade Cook.

Warm wintery veggie side for the winter. Whether you serve it at the holidays or with any winter dinner, this side dish is classic and delicious.

Instructions

Blanch the green beans: cook 3 minutes in boiling water, then immediately remove the beans into a bowl of ice water.  (The ice bath keeps the bright green color of the beans). 

In a cast iron skillet (or regular skillet if you don’t have cast iron) cook the bacon until it is crisp. Drain the bacon on a paper towel. 

Add the shallots and mushrooms to the skillet and cook on low heat in the bacon grease until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are softened (if your pan is still really hot you can even try turning the heat off and cooking the shallots in the residual heat. If they seem to stop cooking turn the heat back on to low). Do not burn the shallots – just like onions, they become bitter if burned.  

Remove the beans from the water and sautee with the onions until warmed. On low heat add the vinegar and cook until it is evaporated.  

Crumble the bacon, toss and serve.