Green Beans, Gourmet Style

Instructions

• Trim ends from beans and cut them into uniform lengths. Drop beans into a large pot of rapidly boiling water and cook just until tender. Remove beans, plunge them into ice water to retain the color and to stop the cooking process. Drain. Set aside.
• Using a 1" cookie cutter, press down on the bacon and cut out decorative shapes and reserve both the cut shapes and the exterior circular bacon slice remnants. Dice the exterior bacon remnants and saute in a non stick pan along with the shallots, garlic, thyme and 2 tablespoons water. Heat the cut out shapes of the bacon in another pan in 3 tablespoons water just until warm. The water will evaporate, leaving bacon moist and flavorful.
• Toss together the beans, diced bacon, shallots, garlic and thyme and place into serving dish. Top with the cut out bacon shapes and serve warm.
• Serves 4