Green Beans, Better

I'm sorry, I owe you a lot of recipes. I've been cooking up a storm, so it will be like a regular flood of posts, I promise! To start, something I made last night - which is really a melding of my earlier green beans and my mushroom bruschetta. This recipe cooks up in about 8 minutes, tops, so I find it best to give everything that needs chopping or slicing a chop and slice beforehand. With each stage set out in bowls before me I can make this while a million other things are going on. It would make a great Easter side, really - it has more kick than your average green beans dish and you can make it in no time at all.

Note: When I clean my mushrooms I just dampen a paper towel and give them a quick rub.

Green Beans, Mushrooms and Pancetta

(6 servings)

5 crimini mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced

6 handfuls green beans, trimmed

3 oz pancetta, sliced (I just run scissors right through the stack about a half inch apart)

2 large cloves garlic, chopped fine

1/4 c packed Parmesan, shredded

red pepper flakes, to taste (about 1/2 tsp+ for me)

2 tbs butter

1/2 lemon

olive oil

salt and pepper

1) Set a large pot of water to boil. Heat up a saute pan over medium, and add a glug of olive oil. Salt the boiling water and add the green beans - set a timer for 7 minutes.

2) Add the pancetta to the saute pan, once crisped (couple minutes) remove.

3) Put a pat of butter in the pan, add the mushrooms. Add olive oil if needed so that none of the mushrooms look dry. After about a minute add the garlic and red pepper flakes.

4) Once the garlic is cooked turn the heat to low, squeeze the lemon over and scrape up any brown bits from the pan. Add the remaining pat of butter, and return the pancetta to the pan.

5) The green beans will be done about now; drain them and add them to the saute pan. Give a toss, season as needed, and move to a serving dish where you can top with the Parmesan.