Dinner - Greek pork chops and Girl and the Goat Magic Beans

I saw Stephanie Izard on TV making her famous Magic Beans.  She is the only female Top Chef winner.  She has a restaurant in Chicago called Girl and the Goat.  We have been there, but we weren't crazy about it....I think we need to try it again.  Maybe we were there too early from when they opened, or maybe we were just there on an off night.  I am willing to try it again.  Anyways, she has making her green beans on the show and they looked so good, I went to her website.  She has a bunch of recipes there.  I will definitely be making other recipes from her website, but tonight I made her Magic Beans.

Here is her recipe - I find it a bit confusing the way it is written.  I will make notes on her recipe if I think it may help to clarify it....

green beans (2 lbs)
4 fl oz. oil
shallots (I realized I forgot to buy these, so I had some dried minced onion in my pantry.  I hydrated it in some warm water and used it instead of the shallots)
green bean dressing
cashews (or another nut if you prefer a different one - I didn't use any but I think it would have been great)
aioli


green bean dressing
yields 2 cups

4 oz. lemon juice (I used 2 lemons, but that didn't equal 4 oz of juice - need at least 4 lemons)
5 oz. fish sauce (in the oriental cooking area of your grocery store)
2 ½ oz. soy
1 tablespoon dijon
3/4 teaspoon sriracha (usually in the oriental cooking section of your grocery store - great pantry keeper)
1/3 oz cloves garlic (I used 4 gloves of garlic)

combine lemon juice, fish sauce, soy, dijon and sriracha. transfer to blender, add garlic and emulsify with oil.  (It never really go creamy like a aioli...but it was a thicker sauce)
aioli
yield: 1 cup

1/3 cup green bean dressing (from above)
1 cup mayonnaise
whisk together (I did this, but don't really see a need to add this step....just adds fat)

preparation

1. heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan.
2. add green beans and some sliced shallots for flavor.
3. add enough vinaigrette to coat the green beans. let steam.
4. add a handful or two of cashews for flavor. season with salt.
5. transfer to serving dish & drizzle with aioli (I would just drizzle some more vinegarette on it).
6. serve hot.

My whole family liked this...it is spicy and salty with the crunch of the green bean. I think the cashews would have added a nice texture, but my husband can't eat nuts, so I didn't add them.  I think it would have made it a even better.  A vegetable dish that all the kids will eat is amazing!  I will for sure be making these again.

I also made greek pork chops that I got at Dorfler's (butcher near the house).  My grill outside was out of commission (the crazy winds we have had lately blew over my bbq....not kidding!!!  Blew it off the deck (about 8 feet distance) and onto the ground), so I browned them on the grill pan on the stove and then put them in the oven at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes.  They are quite salty...so this whole meal was quite salty....but yummy and great together - and with a glass of Riesling wine...great supper!!