This is one of the side dishes I made for Thanksgiving dinner.

What You Need!

6-8 thin slices prosciutto
2 lb. green beans, trimmed
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for salting the water
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup coarsely chopped blanched hazelnuts
12 Medjool dates, pitted and quartered lengthwise
1 large shallot, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Fresh ground pepper

What You Do With What You Need!

1. Roast the prosciutto on a lined baking sheet at 400F 7-9 minutes or until crisp; let cool.
2. Cook the green beans in heavily salted water about 4 minutes (bright green and crisp-tender). Drain and put in an ice bath, then spread out and dry with paper towels.
3. Cook oil and hazelnuts over medium heat until golden-brown, 5-7 minutes. Pour nuts and most of the oil into a large bowl, let cool for about 10 minutes.
4. Cook the dates in the same pot, adding a little olive oil if necessary, until lightly charred in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
5. Add shallot, garlic, lemon juice, zest, vinegar, honey, mustard and 1 tsp kosher salt to the bowl with the nuts and oil; whisk to combine, season with salt and pepper.
6. Toss the green beans and dates with the vinaigrette; place on a platter or large shallow bowl. Crumble the prosciutto over it.

Serves 8.

Verdict: The vinaigrette was a nice balance of sweet and sour, earthy and bright; the green beans were tender and the dates were still chewy. The crispy Italian ham was greasy and flaky.
Grade: B+