The holiday season is here and you’re bound to be bound for a number of social gatherings that will be centered in the dining room.

Odds are if you’re not doing the balance of the cooking this year, you’ll need something to contribute to your hosts. So we’ve come up with one of our favorite side dishes, guaranteed to complement just about any holiday meal. This dish can be prepared to perfection in any number of Thermador convection ovens.

Ingredients

—2 lbs fresh red pearl onions                

—1 tsp freshly ground pepper

—½ cup balsamic vinegar                                

—1 tsp salt

—2 tbsp unsalted butter                                   

—3 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed

—2 tbsp vegetable oil                                       

—¼ cup olive oil    

—2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme                  

—1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Directions

In a large saucepan of boiling water, blanch the fresh onions for 1 minute.  Drain and refresh under cold water; drain.  Using a small sharp knife, trim the root ends and slip off the skins.

Preheat the oven to 400º Roast.  In a small nonreactive saucepan, combine ¼ cup of the balsamic vinegar, the butter, oil, thyme, pepper and half the salt.  Stir over moderately low heat until the butter is melted.

In a medium bowl, toss the onions with the vinegar mixture to coat.  Spread the onions in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 35-40 minutes, stirring often, until evenly browned.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, blanch the green beans until just tender.  Drain and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, mustard and the remaining ¼ cup balsamic vinegar and remaining salt.

Add the beans and the onions to the dressing in the bowl and toss well.  Transfer to a serving platter.  Lower the oven temperature to 350º, cover the beans and bake until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serves 8-10.