Of all the veggie side dishes, Green beans come second on the list after Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes (no one can beat potatoes for that matter). Green beans are rich in fiber and add a bust freshness to any meal. Adding garlic and crispy bacon will only make this veggie more welcoming and make even a veggie hater to ask for more.
Green beans– Fresh tender green beans with a snap to them. Look for bright-coloured ones that are not stringy. Onion, garlic– Thinly sliced onions. Caramelized onions have a sweetness to it and complement the savory flavors in the dish. I can never have enough garlic in a dish, so listen to your heart and add a good amount of it. Just make sure they are not finely minced or paste-like. Otherwise, they will get stuck at the bottom of the skillet. Bacon– Thick-cut bacon or regular bacon strips, both will work in this recipe. To make things easy, use a scissor to cut bacon into small pieces. Butter, olive oil – Just a blob of butter to give a richness to the dish. I would not skip it. Use olive oil for cooking onions, if you don’t wish to use bacon fat. Salt and pepper
Now coming to cooking, this one is the most fool proof and efficient way of cooking beans. This method ensures the beans is not over cooked, retains the bright green colour even after cooking and also has crunch to it. No cooking in boling water then dip in ice water business. First add prepared beans to the skillet, sear it on medium-high heat for about 1 minute. Beans get coated well with the fat ( oil/butter etc) . Then add water to the hot skillet and immedietely cover the skillet with a lid. The steam will cook the beans just fine.
