That’s where this salad comes in. The green beans are crisp and vibrant, and they’re tossed in a miso sauce—flavors that are at least familiar to Mama Lin. I’ve also added some bacon bits and toasted almonds here to give the salad extra flavor and texture. For the bacon, I used Applegate’s Good Morning Bacon, which is made from pork shoulder instead of pork belly. The bacon still has great flavor, but it’s leaner than regular bacon. This salad is so good, I’ve eaten over a pound of green beans the last few days! Seriously. Definitely give the dish a try if you’re looking for side dishes to add to your Thanksgiving meal!
MASTER MY MISTAKES / COOKING NOTES
Don’t skip the ice bath! Right after you blanch the green beans for 2 minutes, you’ll want to submerge them into an ice cold bath. I’ve skipped this step before due to laziness and regretted it. If you pull the green beans out from the boiling water and just place them on a plate, the beans will continue cooking and turn softer. Placing them in an ice bath stops the cooking process and keeps the green beans nice and crisp.Making the Dish Ahead: The green beans (undressed) and almonds can be prepared the day before. I recommend cooking the bacon no more than an hour or two before serving. If, for whatever reason, you want to prepare the bacon a day ahead, pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds before serving. That should crisp up the bacon again.Variations: I tried a version of the sauce using miso, rice vinegar, and maple syrup. The sauce had a brighter tangy flavor, but I much preferred the sauce with balsamic vinegar.
If you try this recipe, be sure to share your creations with me! Tag me on Instagram or Twitter so that I can give you a fist bump!
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