OK, it's been a while since I've had fresh green beans. I tried steaming them, and frankly, they weren't good, very tough. Is there a better way, or did I just buy tough green beans? The corn from the same vendor at the farmer's market was wonderful though!
I snap off the ends, break them in pieces about 3/4 inch long. In the mean time I have brought a pot of water to a boil and added quartered new potatoes. When the beans are ready, I drop them into the same water as the potatoes. Cook until everything is as tender as I want them, drain the water off, add butter. Return to low heat, stirring occasionally until the butter is melted and potatoes and beans are coated and almost crispy. Steaming never seems to produce the texture I want.
I basically do the same as Toni, but I add a few strips of bacon to the water, and leave out the butter.
I think I'd take Cajun's advice a little further and add a 12 oz steak next to the beans. You can do all you want to those beans, but they're still gonna be beans. Might as well put something on that plate to make people want to eat
I put bacon in my beans when I put them on to boil .I cook fresh new potatos in another pot and boil them.I do not eat the peeling as others do. just don't like them that way.When my potatoes are done by sticking a fork into them .I take them off the heat and wait for the green beans to get real tender .I then take my potatoes and add to my beans and get them boiling again and then they are ready to add salt to taste.
french green beans My favorite green bean recipe came out of an old french cookbook. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add green beans and blanch for 3-4 minutes (just until they turn bright green). Drain water, return beans to dry pan and put back on burner to get all excess water off. Add a generous dallop of butter and a handful of freshly chopped parsley and garlic. Saute for a couple of minutes until butter is melted and beans are heated through. Garnish with a bit more parsly if desired. Voila!
After I've blanched the beans I like to saute them with slivered almonds, garlic and just a touch of fresh lemon juice. Yum! Yum! Deanna :-D
I wasn't sure how to cook fresh green beans. When I asked a friend, she said, "boil them 'til their done." Not the most helpful answer. So I did some investigating here. Thanks so much for the info! I made green beans and almonds for the first last night--quite yummy!And I'm going to have green beans and potatoes, too. Thank you!
While it is hot out and i don't want to heat the house any more than it already is, I make foil packets add as many beans as, either will fit or I need, a dollop of butter a little fresh garlic, salt and pepper, seal the packet and put it over the fire in the pit or the grill if the fire is out. Not over direct heat, but to the side and cook them until they are done, which may be 20 min. or more depending on the heat.
A friend of ours makes green bean bundles wrapped in bacon. About 5 or 6 to a bundle wrap one trip of bacon around and secure with toothpick. Pour a bit of stock in baking dish, add bundles, bake 350 about 20 min,covered then uncover and bake till bacon is done.S&P to taste. Bet this would work on the grill wrapped in foil. Forgot to say that I would turn them at least once if baking in an oven.
I like to blanche them (boil just for a few minutes), then coat them with a small amount of olive oil and spice, such as garlic, sage, nutmeg is really good to. Bake in a hot oven about 400 deg farenehit for 5-10 min. Asparagus is great this way too, but don't have to blanche it first.
Another way my Dh likes them is fried. dip in egg-then flour and fry. at first didn't think I would like but was good. But i can them most ways-lot don't make it to the house sit outside and eat them raw.
I have great memories of eating fresh beans and tomatoes right off the vines when I was growing up in NW Indiana! I really miss orchards and open markets! Many years later, now living in Texas, I grab them as often as I can. They are delicious simmered in chicken broth, bacon pieces, some sliced onion, a tablespoon or two of butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I like them snapped in half, rather than very small pieces.
