Stephencooks

Braised Green Beans with Roasted Onions, Pine Nuts and Herbs

1 lb green beans, trimmed
1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion
juice from 1/2 an orange
juice from 1/2 a lemon
2 T butter
3 T fresh thyme, minced
1/4 C pine nuts
1 medium tomato, chopped
zest of 1/2 an orange
zest of 1/2 a lemon
16 - 20 dice-sized cubes of chilled cooked polenta*
salt, hot sauce to taste

Peel the onion and cut vertically into crescents. Toss in a little olive oil and roast about 30 minutes at 450º, tossing occasionally, until tender and starting to color at the edges. Set aside.

Place the pine nuts in a small dry skillet on high heat. Toss and stir the nuts continuously until they start to color. Remove to a paper towel when the nuts are about half browned and starting to char in places. Set aside.

Add two or three tablespoons of canola or other oil to the skillet and, when the oil is very hot but not yet smoking, scatter in the polenta dice. Fry, turning occasionally, until they start to brown and crisp. Remove and drain on a paper towel and set aside.

Place the herbs, chopped tomato and a scant cup of water in a large skillet and bring to a strong simmer. Add the beans and toss in the liquid to coat. Cover and braise for 8 - 10 minutes, until the beans are tender but still crisp. Remove the beans with tongs to a side plate and set aside.

Add the butter and fruit juices to the pan, raise the heat and reduce the liquid until it starts to thicken a little. Add the roasted onions, beans and pine nuts and toss to coat with the sauce.

To serve, season to taste with salt and hot sauce and mound in a serving bowl. Garnish with a tangle of the zest and scatter on the polenta croutons.

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*Polenta - basic recipe

2-1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt
3/4 C "instant" polenta meal (see note below)
2 T butter
2 T Parmeggiano Reggiano, shredded

Bring water to boil, add salt and then stir in the polenta meal. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring. When the polenta is nearly done stir in the butter and cheese.

To use for recipes that call for "chilled cooked polenta," spread the cooked polenta into an oiled dish, cover and chill until firm. The polenta may then be cut into shapes and grilled, fried or used in a gratin.

Note: Instant polenta. I use the wonderful Roland brand polenta meal, which cooks much faster than the traditional corn meal. I've actually never made polenta with regular corn meal -- if you can't find the Roland product or want to try the traditional way, here's a LINK to an Epicurious recipe.