I was so thrilled a few weeks ago to read the list of February recipes for French Fridays with Dorie – since we would be curing our own pancetta for Charcutepalooza, I was excited to use it in this week’s dish: Green beans with pancetta (p 333).
Dorie calls it a “simple dish made special with the addition of a little sautéed pancetta [which] adds a speck of saltiness, another texture, and elements of elegance and surprise.”
It’s a simple dish, for sure – I whipped it up the other night when I got home from school with a few hours’ reading ahead of me, it kept my tummy happy until some soup later on..
I love the vibrant colours of this dish – the pinky, rusty pancetta against the bright green beans. I think it’s appealing both visually and taste-wise.
And so, so, easy.
It really elevates a side dish (or a lunch or snack) to elegant heights. And reminded me of a fabulous green bean dish my host mother used to serve when I was an exchange student in Belgium with lardons and diced new potatoes. Now if there was only some of our pancetta left… Oh, but wait, a whole rolled pancetta waiting to be used in our wine cellar 🙂
Want to join in the fun? Join French Fridays with Dorie here and follow along on Twitter.
French Fridays with Dorie participants do not publish the recipes on our blogs, rather, we prefer if you purchase the book for yourselves (trust me, you definitely want this book!) which you can do here on Amazon (great price right now) or here on Amazon Canada (it’s also on special!). Go on, treat yourself join us in 2011!
Oooh, your big chunks of pancetta look fabulous!!!! Gorgeous presentation!
Simple, classic. Love the big thick healthy slices!
I love green beans — all types of beans, really — and the addition of pancetta (homemade!!) is a wonderful touch. Beautiful photos, Mardi. 🙂
I missed this dish, but what springs to mind is a nice bottle of Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine. Touch of spritz, some fruit to balance the salt. A nice light wine with some body nonetheless.
For those of you who don’t have access to the above, try something with a little fruit, off-dry a possibility. Avoid too much oak, or anything with too much steely character.
Oregon Pinot Gris, Australian Viognier would do well.
Hi Mardi-I can only imagine how yummy your beans were with your homemade pancetta. Your pancetta looks fabulous!
The pancetta is so gooood!
How awesome that you used your Charcutepalooza pancetta! I too loved this dish – simple, filling, and flavorful – and so nice to whip something up quickly.
Yes it made a nice chance in a busy week!
What a delicious meal, looks great!
This dish is wonderful! I can only imagine the yummy smell in the kitchen when you added in the pancetta… mmmm.
I feel like such a proud “mommy” when I get to cook with something that I picked from my garden, or from my meat curing box.
Your pancetta looks amazing.
Now if only I had my own beans from my garden!
Looks and sounds wonderful! Great photos, too! 🙂
This is one of my favourite ever tapas dishes that I get in Spain, but the green beans are usually thinner and it also includes liberal amounts of garlic, shallots and jamon. It’s my favourite, though! So glad that Dorie has a French version that you got to use your delicious looking pancetta in!
Jax x
Yes, some shallots would not go amiss here!
How nice that you were able to use the results of one project to complete another! Pretty cool.
Yes I loved that part!
Mardi – You’re much too ambitious, with that fabulous-looking pancetta 😉 Nicely done, girl!
Well we just had it *hanging* around…. 😉
Wow – this looked fun. And your photos are fabulous. The chunks of pancetta add such a different look to the dish as opposed to the little “frizzles”. As I viewed each photo I wanted to reach out and pop one of the little chunks into my mouth ! Well done 🙂
Your beautiful photos of this FFWD dish just make it all the more appetizing.
Thanks !
Your pancetta chunks look positively luscious. Looks more like pancetta with green beans than the other way around. Yum!
I used homemade pancetta too, from the same Charcuterie book. Had some in the freezer from an earlier experiment by my husband. It was so good.
Best way to eat your veggies, right?
mmm, more of your lovely pancetta – can’t go wrong with that. and green beans with pancetta as an after school snack? love it!
Best after school snack. Ever.
Just joined French Fridays! I cannot wait to try this recipe with my pancetta and green beans from our garden. Should be fabulous!
Beans from your garden! Jealous!
I agree the color contrast is lovely and I am sure the texture of the pancetta plays nicely off of the beans. Hope you are having a good weekend 🙂
Thanks – I loved the colours of this too!
Green beans and pork are a really lovely combination. It’s so wonderful you were able to use your own pancetta for this!
I’ve had to make the decision to skip some FFWD due to cost and seasonality, but as soon as green beans pop up here I am making this recipe.
Yes if only I had green beans from the garden. Oh wait, I don’t have a green thumb. I guess the home made pancetta makes up for this!
But this is the best such a simple dish can be: prepared with your own cured pancetta! I am so envious! I live vicariously through you and several others and wish that I had either enough space of enough cold weather to join in the fun.
In the meantime I’ll just ogle your products:)
We all loved this dish – simple, easy, delicious. Kids ate it, and I was happy. Period.
Now, I have to get ready for those ribs:)
It was a great dish and one that will be made again!
The fact that you made your own pancetta blows me away! Your dish looks so pretty and the contrast of colors in your photos is simply perfect!
Well the pancetta was *really* easy!!!
This is indeed a snacking dish….. freah, simple and delicious.
Who wouldn’t love green beans with pancetta. So delicious and the pictures are mouth watering.
Pancetta makes everything better!
Great pictures!
Oh, I just LOVE how the green pops in your photos. I think all vegetables should be served with pancetta. 🙂
Yes I really liked the colours of this dish too!