With a hint of anise and bright citrus, these elegant tarragon green beans with lemon and pine nuts are the perfect Elvish side dish for Bilbo and Frodo's birthday feast! For another Elvish-inspired recipe, try our Butternut Squash Goat Cheese and Kale Tart for an autumnal dish, or try another recipe from our Feast at Bag End collection like these Smoky Rosemary Maple Roasted Nuts.

At a Glance: Tarragon Green Beans with Lemon and Pine Nuts

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 - 6 minutes
Total Time: ~30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Flavour: Buttery, citrus, with a hint of anise
Skill Level: Easy
Why this Works: Tender green beans are tossed in a buttery sauce with tarragon, citrus, and pine nuts for an elegant Elvish-inspired side dish.

If you love recipes from the Shire, try our Feast at the Green Dragon e-cookbook for classic tavern fare: bubbling starters, savoury mains and pies, hedgerow puddings, and dark ale and berry drinks.

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A Feast at Bag End: A Hobbit Birthday

As summer begins to fade into fall and the fields and gardens of the Shire are brimming with a bountiful harvest, the hobbits look forward to a very special celebration. With the War of the Ring now behind them and peace restored to Middle-Earth, the joint birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins feels more joyful than ever! Both uncle and nephew are now keen to celebrate with the friends and family who saw them through darker days.

In honour of the hobbits' shared birthday on September 22nd, we can imagine Bilbo and Frodo preparing for a gathering of friends from across Middle-Earth. As each member of the Fellowship and other old friends travel to the Shire they bring with them a taste of their local cuisine. Join us in celebrating this momentous hobbit day with Bilbo, Frodo, and the rest of the Fellowship!

Legolas' Tarragon Green Beans with Lemon and Pine Nuts

Arriving alongside his good friend Gimli, Legolas of the Woodland Realm has brought with him an elegant and fragrant side dish. Making use of the last of summer's green beans, this delicately seasoned vegetable dish is inspired by the woodland realm that Legolas calls home. The beans are lightly cooked before tossing in a buttery sauce flavoured with fragrant tarragon and bright citrus. Topped with golden pine nuts foraged from the forest pines of Legolas' home, these tarragon green beans with lemon and pine nuts are the perfect Elvish side to add a burst of fresh flavour to Bilbo and Frodo's birthday feast.

For more elvish side dishes you should try our spiced pear, endive, and arugula salad or our warm potato, asparagus, and pea salad.

Ingredients for Tarragon Green Beans with Lemon and Pine Nuts

Green beans: Trim the stem ends of the green beans before cooking. For an autumnal green bean side dish, check out our roasted green beans with creamy mushrooms and crispy onions.

Tarragon: Fresh tarragon adds a fresh, slight anise flavour to these green beans. If you aren't able to source fresh tarragon, you can use dried although the flavour won't be quite as fragrant as with the fresh leaves.

Lemon: The juice and zest add a punch of bright, citrusy flavour to this dish, balancing the richness of the butter and pine nuts.

Pine nuts: Pine nuts are the edible seed of the pine tree. Although they are not technically a nut, they are treated as such culinarily. They have a buttery flavour and a slightly chewy bite, and are best when lightly toasted.

ingredients for tarragon green beans with lemon and pine nuts

Make Ahead Tips

Here are a few tips to make this dish ahead.

Blanch the beans - Green beans can be blanched and then chilled up to 1 to 2 days ahead of time. Before blanching, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Drop the beans into boiling, salted water and cook until they are crisp tender and just barely cooked. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beans to the ice water. Let sit in the water until the beans are cold. Drain well.
Refrigerate - Transfer the cooled beans to a container lined with paper towel. Cover and refrigerate until you're ready to serve.
Reheat the beans - Prepare the butter sauce just before serving. Add the blanched green beans and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until the beans are warmed through.

How to make Tarragon Green Beans with Lemon and Pine Nuts

1. Cook the green beans

Fill a large pot of water and place over high heat. Add a generous amount of kosher salt to season the water. The water should taste lightly seasoned but not overly salty. Trim the stem ends from the beans. When the water comes to a boil, add the green beans. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes until the beans are crisp tender.

2. Make the butter sauce

Place a large stainless skillet over medium low heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring regularly until the nuts are golden brown. Keep the skillet over a low temperature to prevent it from getting too hot which could cause the butter to burn.

When the nuts are browned, add the butter and allow to melt. Carefully add the lemon juice and zest along with the kosher salt and pepper. Bring the butter sauce to a gentle simmer and then stir in the chopped tarragon. Reduce the heat and keep warm.

3. Toss the beans

When the green beans are crisp tender, remove from the heat and drain through a colander. Transfer the beans to the skillet and toss in the butter sauce using tongs.

4. Serve the Tarragon Green Beans with Lemon and Pine Nuts

Transfer the green beans to a serving dish. Spoon any butter sauce and pine nuts remaining in the skillet over the beans. Garnish with more chopped fresh tarragon and enjoy!

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