Like most vegetables, green beans shouldn't be an afterthought. Those crunchy little stalks can be amazing vessels of flavor if they're seasoned properly, and it doesn't take a whole lot of work to turn green beans into a side that will make you go back for seconds.
Toasted almonds, tarragon, and Champagne vinegar add crunch, tang, and an herbaceous note, and then there's the bacon fat; lots of bacon fat. After you've rendered strips of pork belly, hold onto that sweet, smoky fat and emulsify your dressing right in the pan.
RECIPE: Green Bean Salad
Just boil your green beans, let them cool, and bathe them in Lake Bacon Fat; finally, toss everything together. You can call it a salad, but one that combines healthy greenery with a bacon and Champagne dressing. What more could you ask for?