Tag: green beans

French Bistro Trout Amandine

French Bistro Trout Amandine

French Bistro Trout Amandine with Haricots Verts
Almonds, Dried Currants, Capers, Lemon, Browned Butter, Parsley

The back story for this dish started last summer when I received an email from Mon Ami Gabi Restaurant in Las Vegas regarding their Summer Scratch Off event. I wasn’t particularly interested in the event, but the image of the trout with fresh green beans really caught my eye. It looked so balanced and tasty, I saved it to my computer.

The restaurant describes itself as honoring classic French cuisine, serving traditional French gastronomy in a quaint Parisian bistro, devising fresh takes on classic fare.

On a recent a trip to Vegas, we had to have lunch at our favorite al fresco restaurant. Who can resist sitting outside on The Strip, watching the spectacular choreographed Bellagio water fountains accompanied by Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman singing Con Te Partiro? Not us, not ever. It is a rare visit to Vegas indeed, when we do not have breakfast or lunch at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris Las Vegas. On one trip a while back, I even purchased a set of their plates for my collection.

Bellagio Fountains
Fountains of Bellagio seen from Mon Ami Gabi
French Bistro Trout Amandine

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Succulent Fresh Fish and Spring Produce

Fresh-Caught Pan-Fried Yellowtail, Garlic Butter Petite Peas and Green Beans, Toasted Pine Nuts, Tarragon, Mint, Parsley, Meyer Lemon Hummus Drizzle

Fresh-Caught Pan-Fried Yellowtail
Garlic Butter Peas and Green Beans
Toasted Pine Nuts
Tarragon, Mint, Parsley
Meyer Lemon Hummus Drizzle

Neither succulent fresh fish nor fresh spring produce need much embellishment. Although the addition of lots of fresh green herbs and a drizzle of meyer lemon hummus doesn’t hurt. The verdant colors of spring make the dish pop. Where pine nuts, parsley, and lemon juice are a classic pairing with hummus – here all these flavors and textures lend a supporting role to the fish and vegetables. The ubiquitous dip is equally fabulous as a sauce for fish.

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French Green Beans, Mexican-Style

French Green Beans, Mexican-Style
Haricots Verts ~ Estilo Mexicano
Tortillas Fritas, Huevos Duros, Piñones, Chiles de Arboles
Sherry Dijon Vinaigrette

Here’s a New Year’s resolution: Serve More Green Bean Dishes – especially the elegant French ones. We’re keeping our holiday buffet merry & bright with fresh haricots verts dressed in a flamboyant style! This flashy dish debuted on our Thanksgiving table and will make a repeat appearance during the Christmas season. Joyeux Noël. Feliz Navidad.

French Green Beans, Mexican-Style Recipe

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Stuffed Mushrooms “Green Bean Casserole Style”

green bean casserole makeover
Stuffed Mushrooms “Green Bean Casserole Style”

Mushroom Duxelles, Olive Oil Bechamel, Haricots Verts
Panko Crusted Fanny Bay Oysters, Truffle Salt, Frizzled Leeks

My friends in the 5 Star Makeover Cooking Group have made some major changes to the iconic green bean casserole this year. Major. For our monthly challenge we’ve taken the classic casserole recipe, originally made with green beans, mushroom soup, and fried onions and turned it ON ITS HEAD. There are soups, quiche, gnocchi, pancakes, and catfish ~ some have a Latin twist, another Asian, some are modern, some deconstructed, others retro. It’s a virtual cornucopia of casserole makeover creativity. And you can view all the incarnations of this most loved/hated Thanksgiving dish in the world over at Lazaro Cooks here.

Here I remake the casserole into a bite-sized morsel which conjures up of all the memories of mom’s holiday dish but with a fresh twist and pair it with another one of our holiday traditions ~ fresh oysters.

Original Recipe Ingredients:

  • cream of mushroom soup
  • milk
  • soy sauce
  • ground black pepper
  • green beans
  • canned french fried onions

green bean casserole makeover

In this makeover, mushrooms are stuffed with earthy mushroom duxelles and a rich olive oil bechamel flavored with tamari. Bright steamed haricots verts are sliced thin and sit atop the mushrooms. Panko crusted fresh Fanny Bay oysters are fried in canola oil until crisp, then seasoned with truffle salt. Finally, frizzled leeks add texture and are an update to those canned fried onions .

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Haricots Verts with Goat Butter, Sublime!

Steamed Haricots Verts
Melting Goat Butter
Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
Toss and serve.
This ain’t your ordinary “green beans with butter.”
A couple years ago we had a magnificent dinner at Alinea, the amazing cutting-edge restaurant of Chef Grant Achatz in Chicago. In addition to all the mind-blowing courses, one small but totally memorable attention to detail stood out, the butter. Goat Butter. And I have been searching for it ever since. Pure white. Softer than cow’s butter at room temperature. Very subtle yet intriguing chèvre flavors. Recently I was ecstatic to find Cabrima Goat Butter at Whole Foods Market!
From the Netherlands,
Cabrima goat butter is made from fresh Dutch goat milk.

Produced by churning the fresh, pasteurized goat cream. The composition of goat butter has a lower melting point than regular butter, making it easy spreadable. Goat butter does not contain carotene, so the product possesses a clear, white color. (from Cabrima website here)
Goat cheese lovers, you will be in heaven!