Shallot and Garlic Butter Sauce with Green Beans

Some days, I find my best cooking— the most delicious, the most interesting— is a product of necessity.  Or more accurately, my sheer lack of organization.  You'd think that after two years of living in the middle of nowhere, I'd have learned to plan a little better.

But if you thought that, you'd be wrong.

I still find myself staring at the pantry from time to time, wishing I had just remembered this ingredient or had a little more of that.  This is especially true when I'm called upon to contribute something to a meal made by someone else.

Such was my predicament one Friday evening when my neighbor invited us to join him, and a small group of film-makers who were spending a couple days filming on the Island, for dinner.  What he didn't mention at the time was that he needed me to bring a dish as well.  He'd prepared a fantastic venison roast, which he then braised in chilies and homemade grape jam.  The spicy-sweet combination was unexpected and delicious!

So there I was again, last minute, staring at the pantry and the mostly-empty vegetable drawer, trying to come up with something.  Something that would complement the rich, sweet flavor of the venison.

I usually think of butter sauces (not the same thing as a butter and cream based white sauce) in conjunction with things like fish, shellfish, or sometimes chicken.  Pairing things like garlic, butter, shallots, and an acid, like vinegar or lemon, are classic parings for things like shrimp and pasta.  But since I wasn't working with any of those things, in fact, no meat at all, I turned to my sparse vegetable drawer.

What I did have was the  ingredients for a basic butter sauce: 4 large shallots, garlic, plus some beautiful fresh green beans.  Not only are green beans one of my favorite fresh vegetables, but their vibrant color, which intensifies when they're lightly steamed, really adds beauty and liveliness to a meat-heavy meal.

This sauce is versatile and simple to prepare, with ingredients which, even in my disorganized pantry, are usually on hand.  The rich butter, piquant garlic, and tangy-sweet lemon are an excellent combination and worked perfectly with the roasted venison.

I served the beans, lightly steamed and tossed in the sauce, on a bed of steamed rice to stretch the servings for 10 people.  But it's a terrific addition to pasta as well.  If you want to forego the vegetables in this one, you can substitute shrimp or cooked chicken pieces.  But to me, the beans were almost the best part!

Shallot and Garlic Butter Sauce

1 lb. trimmed green beans

4 large shallots, very thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt (omit salt if using salted butter)
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Thoroughly rinse green beans and trim the tips.  If the beans are very long, cut them in half, or to about 2-3 inches in length.  Steam the beans for about 5-6 minutes, or until just tender and bright green.

In a bowl, combine shallots, garlic, lemon juice, and salt, and stir well.

In a large skillet or saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  When the butter has melted, add the shallot mixture to the pan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until shallots are soft and highly fragrant.

Add the steamed beans to the pan and toss to coat.  Remove from heat.

Serve over pasta, rice, or chicken or fish, and season with black pepper to taste.


Don't worry about your garlic breath: everyone else will have it too!