Friday, February 18, 2011

Green Beans with Pancetta for French Fridays with Dorie

If you've read my last couple of French Fridays with Dorie posts, you might have started to get the idea that I'm some sort of cranky, complain-y curmudgeon. But nothing could be further from the truth, I assure you! I just call it like it see it. And happily, the way I see it this week is all positivity, rainbows,  and kittens.

This is a really simple dish with very few ingredients, and it was so nice to see Dorie restrain herself after some of the multi-step dishes we've been making lately. Thankfully, the recipe did not call for killing the pig or curing the pancetta, growing the beans, or leaving anything in the fridge overnight. It was a real back-to-basics dish, but with a wonderful balance of flavors, especially with a little lemon juice squeezed on top.  It's a real lesson in how keeping things simple can have such a huge impact, especially if the ingredients are fresh and high-quality.

My only quibble (if you can call it that) is that the recipe calls for green beans and not haricots verts. The book is called Around My French Table, n'est-ce pas? No matter! A bean by any other name, as they say ...

And there you have it. Short and sweet. If you'd like to join in on all the fun, pick up a copy of the book and start cooking with us. And in the meantime, check out what everyone else thought of the dish here.

Happy French Friday!

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24 comments:

  1. Emily MalloyFebruary 18, 2011 at 10:56 AM

    Girlfriend, them there beans are GORGEOUS.

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  2. AnonymousFebruary 18, 2011 at 11:52 AM

    Beautiful photos!

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  3. Belinda @zomppaFebruary 18, 2011 at 12:22 PM

    This is one of my favorite ways to eat green beans!

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  4. Jessica of My Baking HeartFebruary 18, 2011 at 12:24 PM

    Love your post - beautiful pics, too! :)

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  5. Deana SidneyFebruary 18, 2011 at 12:57 PM

    Gorgeous beans, Trix! I am gonna say that haricot vert and I are not on the best of terms. I spent a bundle getting a bag of them for the holidays from WF and they were awful... old, tasted like old socks. The next week I got plain green beans and they were a million times better. Serves me right for buying anything already in a plastic bag!!! This is a recipe to use over and over.. oh that pancetta looks good!

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  6. Evelyne CulturEatzFebruary 18, 2011 at 1:44 PM

    Love beans and the pancetta is a great addition. Glad you got a bit of a break cooking wise

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  7. AnonymousFebruary 18, 2011 at 1:58 PM

    Oh I love me some green beans. That and asparagus! I love making them with a balsamic glaze, *droool*

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  8. FlourchildFebruary 18, 2011 at 3:09 PM

    Great greenbeans! I never thought I would put a post on my blog about Greenbeans!HA! It just shows how amazing Dorie is!!

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  9. FrankFebruary 18, 2011 at 6:23 PM

    Ah yes, pancetta lends wonderful flavor to anything it touches...

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  10. claudia lamascoloFebruary 18, 2011 at 6:25 PM

    I am not sure when I have ever seen more beautiful green beans! Bravo!

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  11. Cher RockwellFebruary 18, 2011 at 7:46 PM

    Lovely photo. I was almost afraid I screwed them up when I was able to finish the dish in under a half hour...

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  12. tasteofbeirutFebruary 18, 2011 at 7:57 PM

    I never think or thought that you were a curmudgeon! Far from it! I think you are immensely talented and creative and adventurous and I am sure a lot of fun!
    Love the photo and the beans. Yum.

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  13. tricia s.February 18, 2011 at 8:54 PM

    Spot on assessment. Nice that it was a bit of a break this week (don't know about everyone else but we needed it in this house....)but still managed to deliver an amazing dish. Also agreed that she didn't send us out looking for haricots vert. But since I was slacking anyway this week....in fact Nana did the bean shopping while my hubby picked up the pancetta...I figured I would enjoy the French version when I replay this recipe. Which I definitely will do. AWESOME photos--

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  14. BetsyFebruary 18, 2011 at 9:12 PM

    Nice photo! Lemons look so pretty next to the very green green beans.

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  15. The Glamorous GourmetFebruary 18, 2011 at 9:50 PM

    My what beautiful beans you have - loooove that pancetta too! YUM!

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  16. Liz That Skinny Chick Can BakeFebruary 19, 2011 at 10:19 AM

    I love your addition of lemon! Gorgeous photos~

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  17. Kate @ Diethood.comFebruary 19, 2011 at 11:24 AM

    You said it best, 'back to basics'... that's the bestestest way to enjoy some of these classics. In my opinion. :)

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  18. Mardi MichelsFebruary 19, 2011 at 9:20 PM

    Gorgeous Trix :-) Yours is so elegant. Mine had big old chunks of pancetta and looks clumsy and goofy compared to yours. Oh well, it can aspire to look like yours when it grows up!

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  19. eSusanFebruary 20, 2011 at 11:22 AM

    So lovely! I wish I could print and eat! Love the photo as well. Can I ask what type of camera you are using?

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  20. Trevor Sis BoomFebruary 20, 2011 at 10:38 PM

    lol. you nearly got through the whole post of kittens and rainbows and THEN, curmudgeon, you rip into the green beans. lol. Exactly what I would have done. American green beans and an Italian cured meat. Its called "Around My French Table" because D bought her kitchen ntable in Nice.

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  21. LanaFebruary 20, 2011 at 10:51 PM

    I guess I am a forgotten hippie child:) Yes, I noticed that pancetta plays the leading roll in this American-French co-production, but it did not bother me! I am all for cosmopolitism:)
    But, I love your blog, I love your writing, and I love your wonderfully edgy and sharp sense of humor. Somebody has to be a curmudgeon:)

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  22. AnonymousFebruary 21, 2011 at 4:10 AM

    Lovely photos and your beans look really fresh. I'm looking forward to trying this again when beans are in season, though I might skip the pancetta and use bacon instead.

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  23. StephFebruary 21, 2011 at 7:08 PM

    Amazing photos! Really lovely!! I don't think you're grumpy at all.

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  24. Island VittlesFebruary 22, 2011 at 2:35 PM

    Funny...I always say puppy dogs and butterflies (especially when I`m having a hard time convincing my mood to lighten up)

    Simple sides, with a little cured pork, are always a yes for me. These look delicious! Theresa

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