Green Bean Bundles
Tools Used: Perforated Baking Sheet, Flexiflat, Colander Scoop, Santoku Chef Knife, Mini Round Mold, Mini Whisk, Silicone Pastry Brush
Ingredients
1/2 pound fresh green beans, cleaned and washed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 strips bacon cut in half
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon hot water
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, freshly ground
Directions
Place Flexiflat on the Perforated Baking Sheet. Place bacon on the Flexiflat and bake at 400 F for 7-8 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and stir in baking soda.
Add green beans to water and boil for 3 minutes after water comes back from a boil.
Remove green beans with the Colander Scoop or drain in a colander and immediately plunge into ice water to cool.
Dry cooked green beans with paper towels.
Melt the butter in the Mini Round Mold in the microwave. Add the brown sugar, salt and hot water. Stir with the Mini Whisk until dissolved.
Toss beans in brown sugar/butter mixture to coat.
Wrap about 10 beans with one piece bacon and secure with a toothpick, repeating until all beans are used. Drizzle with any remaining brown sugar mixture.
Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and bake at 400 F for about 15 minutes.
* I found this recipe a few years ago and have made these several times. Green Beans bundled with bacon make an elegant, but easy side dish. You can prep these bundles a day ahead by cooking the green beans and wrapping them with the bacon and refrigerating them. Then coat with the brown sugar mixture and bake. This recipe is easily doubled and tripled for a bigger gathering. When you put the cooked green beans in the ice water, it stops the cooking and keeps the green beans bright green. Adding the baking soda to the boiling water also helps the bright color. You are only cooking the bacon until partially cooked. The final baking with the green beans will let the bacon cook fully. Everything tastes better with bacon!