IN AN AGE OF CANNED AND FROZEN VEGETABLES, it's easy to overlook the delight of freshly cooked veggies. If there's one vegetable that goes quickly from raw to table-ready, it's the ordinary but delicious green bean. Cooking green beans is uncomplicated and fast. Even better, green beans require only the simplest of dressings. Steaming: You can steam beans too, but steaming more than a few beans at one time may lead to uneven cooking.
- Not surprisingly, fresh garden beans are best. They also cook quickly, often taking no more than 2 or 3 minutes.
- Supermarket beans are usually larger and tougher than garden beans; cooking time will be about 5 minutes.
- Uncooked beans should be firm, not wimpy.
- To prepare beans for cooking, wash and drain; then trim off the ends. That's all. Avoid cutting whole beans into smaller pieces (unless you want waterlogged, mushy beans).
- When are they done? Green beans should be tender but retain some crispness. As with pasta, watch out for overcooking (do a taste-test or two while the beans are cooking).
Takes about 15 minutes. Serves 4 or so.
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Cooking green beans
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1
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Bring to boil in large saucepan
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- 2-1/2 quarts (10 cups) water
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2
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Add and cook gently (uncovered is OK) until tender (2-5 minutes, depending upon size and type of beans), then drain immediately
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- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound (16 oz) fresh green beans, ends trimmed
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Serving—BASIC BEANS
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- Put cooked beans in serving bowl.
- Dress with a tablespoon of butter or sprinkling of extra-virgin olive oil.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Serving—with NUTS and HERBS
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- Put cooked beans in serving bowl.
- Add 1/4 cup walnuts (chopped) or pine nuts.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons fresh tarragon or parsley leaves (chopped fine).
- Add 1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or walnut oil.
- Toss until beans are coated.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
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© 2002-2012 All rights reserved.
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www.cybershingle.com/recipes/
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