Michie Tavern green beans

Michie Tavern is a historic tavern in Charlottesville, Virginia. We stopped for lunch one day many years ago when I was visiting colleges (yes, this die-hard Hokie visited that other school in Virginia). My mom loved their food so much, she bought their cookbook. These Michie Tavern green beans are quite tasty and are a different twist on either canned beans or green bean casserole. They’re similar to a green bean salad. Be sure to chill them for a few hours and enjoy them cold.

You can either use fresh green beans or canned green beans. I’ve tested the recipe with both, and I would recommend using fresh when possible. The original recipe calls for blanching the green beans, but that’s honestly a lot of work. I have found that I love the way roasted green beans work in this recipe. Roasting them give the beans great flavor, and they are still crunchy. And you can roast the green beans to your preferred crispiness.

You also have a few options for the dressing. I would recommend using a neutral-flavored oil like vegetable or canola. The most flavorful you should use is a really light olive oil. Anything else (like peanut) will throw off the flavors of the dressing. And use a white or other light vinegar. The vinegar adds a great acidity, but, again, you don’t want it to overpower the whole dressing.

For best results, make the dressing a few hours ahead of time and chill it until needed. Toss the green beans and the dressing then chill again. This recipe keeps well in the fridge for a few days. Just toss them again right before serving. These Michie Tavern green beans make a great side for chicken dishes, so try them with crispy chicken or honey dijon chicken.

Enjoy!