French Green Bean Salad with Bacon & Pecans

I asked my boyfriend to help me think of some side dishes for Thanksgiving. He first suggested a carrot casserole, which I’ve never had before and didn’t sound too appealing. That lead me to think of green bean casserole, which is a common holiday side dish. Wanting to do something other than a casserole I decided that a French green bean salad was the way to go. Bacon, cheese and pecans are personal touches that make this dish super crazy delicious.

4 cups fresh green beans
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 shallots, very finely sliced
5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
3/4 cup pecans, rough chopped
3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and add green beans. Cook for about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, thyme, parsley, mustard, oil and red wine vinegar until an emulsion forms. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over green beans. Add shallots, pecans, cheese and bacon. Toss.

Yields 6-8 servings