For his simple side dish, Dean Fearing sautés crisp green beans with caramelized salsify, toasted pecans and strips of intense country ham. At home, he jokingly calls them "all-day" green beans—in fact, they take about half an hour to prepare. Chef Holiday Recipes Made Easy More Quick Side Dishes
How to Make It
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the beans until tender, 7 minutes. Using a wire skimmer, transfer the beans to a baking sheet to cool. Keep the water boiling.
Squeeze the lemon into a medium bowl of water. Working with one stalk at a time, peel the salsify, slice it 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal and transfer to the lemon water. Drain the salsify and add it to the boiling water. Cook until just tender, about 4 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil. Add the pecans and salsify and cook over high heat until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Add the country ham, reduce the heat to moderate and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute. Add the green beans and cook, stirring, until hot, about 3 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and serve.