Shell Beans With Butternut Squash, Bacon And Sage
This delicious recipe brings together the nuttiness of pecans, creaminess of fresh shell beans, sweetness of butternut squash, and smoky crunch of bacon, all enhanced with the earthy aroma of sage. A warm and comforting dish perfect for any autumn table.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pecan halves
- 1 lb. fresh shell beans such as cranberry beans, shelled
- 1 small butternut squash, about 1 1/2 lb., peeled, cut in half lengthwise and seeded
- 2 high-quality, thick bacon slices
- 1 1/2 Tbs. minced fresh sage
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 375°F.
- Pour the pecans onto a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven until they turn a shade or two darker and are fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour the nuts onto a plate to cool.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the beans to the boiling water, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the beans are tender but not falling apart, 25 to 30 minutes. Make sure that the water is always about an inch above the beans. Drain the beans and set aside.
- Cut the squash flesh into 1/2-inch dice.
- Heat a nonstick fry pan over medium heat. Add the bacon slices and cook, turning once, until browned and crisp, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the bacon fat from the pan. When the bacon has cooled, cut it crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces.
- Return the fry pan to the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the squash and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and just tender when pierced with a sharp knife, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the sage and beans, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the beans are heated through and the flavors are blended, about 1 minute. Stir in the bacon and pecans.
- Transfer the mixture to a warmed platter and serve immediately. Serves 4.
- Adapted from Williams-Sonoma <i>New Flavors for Vegetables</i>, by Jodi Liano (Oxmoor House, 2008).
Yield
Serves 4.
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