Green Beans with Crispy Shallots, Brown Butter & Toasted Hazelnut
Canned green beans transformed: blanched to shed the can, seared in garlic-thyme brown butter, brightened with lemon, and crowned with crispy shallots and hazelnut shards.
- canned green beans, drained2 14.5-oz cans
- shallots, medium, thinly sliced into rings3
- neutral oil (grapeseed or vegetable), for frying½ cup
- unsalted butter4 tablespoons
- raw hazelnuts⅓ cup
- garlic, smashed1 clove
- fresh thyme4 sprigs
- fresh lemon juice1 teaspoon
- kosher salt
- flaky sea salt, to finish
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1
Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil and set an ice bath alongside. Drop the drained canned beans in for 60 seconds, then lift them into the ice bath. Drain and spread on a clean towel in a single layer; pat dry and let air-dry at least 10 minutes.
high - 2
Pour neutral oil into the 10-inch skillet to about 1/4 inch deep. Heat over medium until shimmering (around 325°F). Add the sliced shallots and fry, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and just shy of done — they darken off heat. Lift out with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate and salt immediately with kosher salt. Reserve the oil for another use. Holds up to 4 hours at room temperature.
medium325°F - 3
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the hazelnuts, tossing frequently, until the skins crack and they smell nutty, 3 to 4 minutes. Tip onto a clean towel and rub vigorously to slip off most of the skins. Coarsely crush with the flat of a knife into shards.
medium - 4
Wipe the skillet clean and set over medium-high heat. Add the butter with the smashed garlic and thyme sprigs. Swirl continuously: the butter foams, the foam subsides, and the milk solids turn golden then amber. The moment it smells like toasted hazelnut, fish out the garlic and thyme, then add the dried beans. Toss to coat, then sear undisturbed 1 minute for a few blistered spots; toss again.
medium-high - 5
Off the heat, add the lemon juice and toss — it will hiss and deglaze. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- 6
Transfer to a warm platter. Scatter hazelnut shards over the top, crown with crispy shallots, and finish with flaky sea salt. Serve immediately — the shallots soften within minutes on the warm beans.
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