The turkey and the French onion soup (which I’ve made since 1982) always remain the same, but I like to vary my side dishes for Thanksgiving. So every year I scan my wide array of food magazines (Bon Appetit, Saveur, Food and Wine, Cook’s Illustrated) for new ideas. This year healthy seemed to be in; a good thing. While I think Thanksgiving deserves to be a time of indulgence, that doesn’t mean every single dish has to have cream and cheese in it. This green bean recipe is bright, flavorful and not your mother’s green bean casserole. It is adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetit.
GREEN BEANS WITH MISO AND WALNUTS
2 1/2 pounds fresh green beans
1/4 cup white miso
2 scallions, minced (green parts only)
3 T rice vinegar
1 T Asian hot mustard powder, mixed with 1 T water
2 T toasted sesame oil
1 T raw sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1) Cook green beans in boiling water until tender. (I like boiling a big pot of water, then putting the beans in a strainer 1/3 at a time, dipping them in the water and cooking for about 2 minutes, or until crisp tender. You can also boil the whole lot in water for 2 minutes, then drain, but that gives you less control over the consistency.)
2) Whisk remaining ingredients, except walnuts, together in a small bowl.
3) Combine green beans and dressing in a salad bowl. Garnish with toasted walnuts. Serve warm or at room temperature.
