By Thanksgiving at Gloria's was what it always is now: the house full of the smells that only exist in combination on this one day, turkey and mac and cheese and the collard greens and the sweet potato pie and the rolls coming out of the oven. Tyler at the table, James carved the turkey with his good knife, Gloria said grace slow and specific and said my name last. She always says my name last.
Tyler's pecan pie was right. He had adjusted the salt from last week's practice and it came out exactly as Debbie makes it, the dark corn syrup version, and when Gloria tasted it she said: is this from Tyler's mother? Tyler said: I made it. Gloria looked at him for a moment and then she said: you are a good learner. He said: I had good teachers. She did not say anything else. She did not need to.
Second Thanksgiving at the Clarkes in the evening, which is Debbie's leftovers tradition and which this year included eighteen people from various branches of the family. I brought my leftover sweet potato pie and a batch of fresh cranberry sauce that had not been on Thursday's table and Debbie said: is that cranberry sauce from scratch? I said yes. She said: of course it is. She said it warmly. I took it warmly.
Two Thanksgiving dinners and both of them home. I thought last year that two Christmases was a remarkable abundance. Two Thanksgivings is the same abundance in November and I am aware that I am lucky and I am saying it where the record can hold it.
When you’re carrying food between two Thanksgiving tables —the cranberry sauce made from scratch, the sweet potato pie still warm —you start to understand what it means to bring something of yourself into someone else’s home. These green bean bundles with honey garlic butter are the dish I keep coming back to for exactly that reason: they’re tidy and intentional, each bundle tied together like something you meant to give. They’re the kind of side that fits at Gloria’s table and at Debbie’s leftovers tradition both, and after a day of feeling named in someone’s grace, I want the food I make to feel the same way —specific, considered, and warm.
Green Bean Bundles with Honey Garlic Butter
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed and ends snapped
- 6 strips thick-cut bacon
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with olive oil.
- Blanch the green beans. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and blanch for 2 minutes, just until bright green. Drain immediately and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Pat dry thoroughly.
- Bundle the beans. Divide the green beans into 6 equal bundles of roughly 8–10 beans each. Wrap one strip of bacon snugly around the center of each bundle, tucking the end underneath to hold.
- Arrange on the baking sheet. Place the bundles seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly so the bacon can crisp on all sides.
- Make the honey garlic butter. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in the honey, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- Glaze the bundles. Spoon or brush the honey garlic butter generously over each bundle, making sure to coat the top and sides. Reserve a little glaze for finishing.
- Roast. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and caramelized and the green beans are tender with slightly charred edges. At the 15-minute mark, spoon the reserved glaze over the tops.
- Serve. Transfer to a platter and drizzle any pan drippings over the top. Serve immediately while warm.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 185 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 14g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 340mg