These veggies make a luxurious yet light accompaniment to any main, no matter whether you’re heading down the traditional roast turkey route or the less traditional, but equally impressive, Vegetarian Festive Christmas Pie
Palace tip: don’t over-cook the beans! Let that green goodness shine.
Ingredients
500 g green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup good olive oil + 1 Tbsp for frying beans
2 Tbsp Pesto Princess Coriander & Chilli Pesto
2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)
3 Tbsp freshly grated vegetarian Parmesan (or any hard cheese without animal rennet)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bowl of iced water for blanching
Edible flowers – optional for decoration
Method
Place the green beans in a large dish, cover with boiling water and set aside for 10-15 minutes. Strain in a colander and dunk the green beans in a bowl of iced water to keep that lovely colour.
For the dressing, combine the Pesto Princess Coriander & Chilli Pesto and olive oil and set aside.
When ready to serve, heat a glug of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Drain the beans and pat them dry. Add the beans to the pan and sauté, turning frequently, for two minutes, until coated with olive oil and heated through.
Off the heat, add the dressing, season and toss well to combine. Sprinkle with pine nuts, a generous rasp of lemon zest and finish with a good grating of Parmesan.
Recipe and food styling by Michelle Parkin