Blistered Banh Mi Green Beans

Farm Fresh with Vietnamese Flavors

The Banh Mi sandwich with it's sweet pickled vegetables, hot fresh chiles, and porky meat has become a favorite all over the world. Here, hot-cooked green beans stand in for the bun.This recipe was featured in the Produce episode of The Farm on Public Television.

Blistered Banh Mi Green Beans

Serves 4 to 62 large shallots, thinly sliced1/3 cup apple cider vinegar1/4 cup water2 teaspoons sugarKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper3 bacon slices, chopped2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil11/2 lbs green beans, trimmed4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced1 jalapeño chile, thinly sliceda small handful of cilantroPlace the shallots, vinegar, water, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let stand until cool.Cook the bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Add the oil to the skillet and increase the heat to high. Stir in the green beans, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and blistered in places, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer the beans to a serving platter. Sprinkle the shallots, chile, cilantro, and the reserved bacon over the beans and serve.