Pancetta & Green Beans - Weekend Recipe

Sometimes I choose a recipe just because of the comfort food quotient.  This is one of those.  I could eat green beans at every meal, they are my favorite.  I love them fresh and grow them in the garden and buy them at the farmer's market and get some from friends, and purchase frozen bags of them at Trader Joe's.  Now a sprinkle of chives and this recipe is warm comfort manna from heaven!

Green Beans and Pancetta with  Browned Butter

2  lb. thin green beans or haricots verts, trimmed

4  oz. pancetta

2  shallots, thinly sliced

6  Tbls. butter

6  oz. peeled and roasted  chestnuts, sliced

2 Tbls. fresh Chives, clipped

In 4-quart saucepan cook green beans, covered,  in boiling salted water 4 to 7 minutes or until crisp­  tender. Drain; set aside.  In an extra-large skillet cook pancetta over medium heat until crisp. Drain pancetta on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet.  Reduce heat to medium-low. Add shallots to reserved drippings. Cook for 4 minutes or until golden brown and beginning to crisp, stirring frequently. Using tongs, transfer shallots to a paper towel-lined plate. Season to taste with salt. Add butter to drippings in skillet. Melt butter over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue to cook, without stirring, for 4 minutes or until butter becomes light brown and fragrant. Reduce heat to low. Add chestnuts, green beans, and pancetta. Cook 2 to 4 minutes to heat through, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately topped with shallots and chives. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

EACH SERVING  213 cal

If you want to know how to roast your own chesnuts (there is a pun in there somewhere) here is the recipe for that too!

 

HOW TO  ROAST CHESTNUTS

Use the tip of a sturdy paring knife to cut an X on the flat side of each chestnut. Arrange chestnuts in a single layer in an ungreased baking pan. Roast at 425°F for 15 minutes,  tossing once or twice during cooking. The outer shells will start  to brown and pull apart at the X.  Cool slightly. While still warm, peel the chestnuts, then roll in a clean kitchen towel to remove the thin, papery inner skins.