Green Bean Bundles of Joy
To make green beans fit a new baby-themed dinner, I baked them in little bundles secured with bacon strips. A few minutes under the broiler crisps the bacon, and Italian dressing adds a tangy flavor.
To make green beans fit a new baby-themed dinner, I baked them in little bundles secured with bacon strips. A few minutes under the broiler crisps the bacon, and Italian dressing adds a tangy flavor.
- Carbohydrate 8.86571875 g
- Cholesterol 28.56 mg
- Fat 31.48453125 g
- Fiber 1.90400005340576 g
- Protein 6.0586375 g
- Saturated Fat 8.28297625 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (320g)
- Sodium 1087.34625 mg
- Sugar 6.96171869659424 g
- Trans Fat 4.14702 g
- Calories 338 calories
Step-by-step
- In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add beans; cover and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cut bacon in half lengthwise; place on a microwave-safe plate.
- Microwave on high for 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 minutes or until edges curl.
- Place four or five beans on each bacon strip; wrap bacon around beans and tie in a knot.
- Place bundles in an 8-in. square baking dish. Drizzle with salad dressing. Bake, uncovered, at 350? for 10-15 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Broil 4 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until bacon is crisp.
Standard preparations of green beans often rely on simple steaming or direct roasting, leaving them loose on the plate without much structural presentation. Wrapping individual portions in cured pork provides both moisture and a distinct savory profile that plain steaming cannot achieve. When transforming vegetables for specialized menus or themed gatherings, balancing the cook times of tender produce and raw protein requires careful intervention. Raw pork wrap strips will not render properly if applied directly to cold vegetables, which necessitates a brief partial cooking phase in the microwave to curl the edges before final assembly.
Partial boiling of the fresh pods for exactly three minutes sets their chlorophyll and stops enzymatic degradation, preserving a vibrant color before they enter the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cutting the cured meat strips lengthwise ensures that each bundle remains secure without overwhelming the vegetable flavor profile during the fifteen minutes of baking. Operating the broiler four inches from the heating element for two to three minutes yields crisp textures on the exterior while keeping the interior pods crisp-tender. Home cooks utilizing bottled Italian dressing should look for variants containing vinegar and oil emulsions with active herb sediment, as these cling effectively to the fat of the pork during thermal application.
Pairing these vegetable packages with roasted poultry or grilled white meats balances the high sodium content of the cured wrapping. Adjusting the marinade requires substituting oil-based vinaigrettes with low-sodium citrus blends if dietary restrictions demand reduced salt intake.
