Green Bean Recipes

[rnewman]

[ I made a green bean salad that was a hit with my friends last night. Blanch the beans then chill in an ice bath. Drain and toss with toasted walnuts and feta. Toss again with a simple vinaigrette (I used mustard made with walnut oil). It was so simple and delicious]

I've been making a similar salad for years with the a mint vinaigrette and the addition of a little red onion. It's always been well very popular with all of my guests and is a great way to serve green beans cold in the summer.

[Mooshmouse]

Yummmmy... green beans.

Briefly steamed, then stirfried with sesame oil, an outrageous amount of minced garlic, finely sliced green or red chilies, sesame seeds, and then liberally salted. I could eat a whole pan full of 'em this way. But everyone else at the table has to have some too, 'cause the post-meal garlic breath would kill anyone who hasn't indulged themselves.

[Maison Rustique]

Long-cooked the southern way with new potatoes is very yumnmy. But as said in the badly prepared thread, my favorite way is burned.

[sparrowgrass]

Thanks for all the ideas--I have green beans coming out my ears from the garden. Mostly I do 'em Southern style--onions, garlic, ham/bacon. If I want a complete meal-in-a-pot, I add the potatoes and lots of ham, and thicken the broth with flour and butter.

I am particularly fond of shelly beans, sometimes called hully beans. Wait to pick the beans til some have big beans inside, and the pods are too woody to eat. The semi-mature beans add a nice meaty taste and texture to the snap beans.

Better get out and get the last of those beans picked. Anybody wanna help? Beans make me itch.

[jglazer75]

OK, apparently none of you are from Ohio. How is it possible to have large quantities of green beans and ask some 20 people what you should make, and not a SINGLE person suggests Green Bean Casserole?!? Get yourself a can of mushroom soup, and some french onion and dump it together for 30 minutes or so in a 400 degree oven. sheesh. It's not that tough.

Sorry for the outburst, but I love the green bean casserole. One of these days when I have some time, I'd like to develop a recipe that doesn't involve cream of mushroom soup (it's always too watery). Anyway. Enjoy the green beans!

[JumpinJude]

I love green beans!

One of my very favorite ways to make them is as an Indian thoren which includes fried urad dal (gram), mustard seeds, onion, and coconut. I make that often - my husband loves it, too.

I also stir fry them with a little bit of ground pork, onion, garlic, and ginger, in a spicy brown sauce, and then serve with rice or rice noodles.

I also like to make them in a Turkish style, usually meatless, with tomato, OO, onion, and lemon juice, and it's great cold or hot.

[JAZ]

Sorry for the outburst, but I love the green bean casserole. One of these days when I have some time, I'd like to develop a recipe that doesn't involve cream of mushroom soup (it's always too watery). Anyway. Enjoy the green beans!

A couple of years ago for Thanksgiving, I tried a recipe from Bon Appetit (I think) that ended up something like that casserole. I don't have the recipe, but as I recall, you saute shallots (or onions) and mushrooms, then add green beans with some chicken broth and simmer until the beans are tender and the broth is mostly absorbed/evaporated. Pour in some cream and simmer until it thckens. Top with toasted buttered bread crumbs (we had some extra toasted blanched slivered almonds, so I added those too).

It was very flavorful, and it satisfied those people who wanted the green-bean-and-mushroom-soup casserole.

[suzilightning]

OK, apparently none of you are from Ohio. How is it possible to have large quantities of green beans and ask some 20 people what you should make, and not a SINGLE person suggests Green Bean Casserole

i make this with both green and wax beans but make my own "mushroom soup" with lactose free milk, shitake, crimini and oyster mushrooms and baby white onions. i DO use the french's fried onion rings to top. this was one of the recipes from a food 911 show * sigh * tyler florence is soooooo yummy

i also cook the beans and add them to my german potato salad or mix them with grape tomatoes cut in half, shallots and a red wine vinaigrette

[Jason Perlow]

We made Green Beans Goma-Ae, just to show you guys how good these are. These beans have been Frenched to make them more elegant.

[mpav]

Blanched then pickled with onion, dill, garlic and a touch of hot pepper. Keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks, although they never last more than a couple of days.

[Mooshmouse]

Blanched then pickled with onion, dill, garlic and a touch of hot pepper. Keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks, although they never last more than a couple of days.

Oooooh, I almost forgot how amazing spicy pickled beans taste in a Caesar (the drink, not the salad). Whenever I order one, I always ask for extra beans since one is never enough.

[chromedome]

Up here in the Great White North, my beans are at least three-four weeks away from kitchen-ready (just beginning to see one or two blossoms...but hey! we don't plant most things until the May long weekend). However, I'm now entirely geared up for when they come through.

Gotta love a vegetable that *everybody* in the family likes.

[spoonbread]

These are some really good ideas!!

[cakes]

I find it very interesting that there are 2 different ways of doing green beans that are being promoted. There are those that blanch and eat them crisp and there are those that cook the bejesus out of them.......southern style.

I am from the midwest and I like my beans done. Simmer them until they are tender and no more. Serve with butter and maybe sliced almonds as a garnish. I like a lot of the juice along with them so I prefer them in a separate dish.

I enjoy a good green bean cassorole also.

Cakes

Edited July 25, 2004 by cakes (log)

[fifi]

I find it very interesting that there are 2 different ways of doing green beans that are being promoted. There are those that blanch and eat them crisp and there are those that cook the bejesus out of them.......southern style.

Good observation. I actually like them both ways and consider them two completely different dishes. If I can get the little skinny French thingies, it is a quick saute in butter and that is about it. If other young tender beans are on offer (usually from a friend's garden) I like to cook them a bit then marinate for salad additions. But the usual green bean on offer in the grocery is usually pretty mature. Those get the long slow treatment at the Le Creuset spa.

[jackal10]

Im my garden in the UK, the Runner Beans are just starting

I'm not sure what they are called in the USA: Pole Beans maybe? Long flat fleshy pods.

Slice finely lengthways along the pod (never across) - there are special bean slicer tools for this- boiled and served with a knob of butter, they are my favourite summer vegetable, only giving way to Brussel Sprouts in winter.

In the picture the varieties are White Lady (white flowers) in front and Polestar behind (red flowers). I'm also growing Painted Lady (an old variety with bi-colour flowers). Its traditional to grow them up some sort of rustic beanpole arrangement. They are incredibly productive, although they need a fertile soil and lots of water, but I can pick the amount in the bowl everyday from now until the frosts in November.

Edited July 25, 2004 by jackal10 (log)

[bloviatrix]

I'm not sure what they are called in the USA: Pole Beans maybe? Long flat fleshy pods.

I've seen these called Roma Beans at the greenmarket.

[chemprof]

I'll go with the southern style folks. I didn't know until I was in my mid-20's that it was even safe to eat green beans that hadn't been cooked for hours! (might as well eat a raw potato! )

But now I like them all ways, cooked long and short, but my current favorite is a varition on the roasting method. Coat them with a bit of olive oil, some salt and pepper (maybe some garlic) and then toss them on a hot grill for a few minutes until bright green and nicely browned in spots. I like them just like that. My husband likes them dipped in chipotle mayo. A friend of mine serves them (after grilling) at room temp with a dipping sauce (remoulade, i think) as an appetizer.

Anne

[sashimi]

Blanched, sautéed briefly with a fruity olive oil, a minced chilli or two, and garlic. A squeeze of fresh lime upon finishing and garnished with Thai basil salt (salt dehydrated in the oven with minced basil, put into a pepper grinder, and ground like freshly cracked pepper over the beans). Heaven.

[fifi]

Thai basil salt (salt dehydrated in the oven with minced basil, put into a pepper grinder, and ground like freshly cracked pepper over the beans...)

Oh my goodness, that sounds good. This is a whole new technique that I don't know that I have ever seen before. The concept of drying herbs with salt then using in a grinder is something totally new. Maybe we need a new thread on this.

[mamster]

No one so far has mentioned duck. To me. green beans and duck are one of those meant-to-be combinations, like collards and pork. Mark Bittman had a great Minimalist not too long ago where he braised duck pieces with green beans, shallots, lime juice, and fish sauce. We scarfed it. But you don't even need actual duck meat to make green beans great. They're lovely glazed with some reduced duck stock and butter, or sauteed in duck fat and then braised.

Green beans are one of those vegetables where, as Woody Allen said about sex and chocolate, even when they're bad they're pretty good. It's hard to find a green bean specimen so shady it can't be cooked into melting deliciousness.

[CtznCane]

I tried fifi's southern style green beans tonight. She's my new hero! Boy were they good, we enjoyed them thoroughly along with Pan Roasted chicken breasts. I made the version with the roux, and no, not a drop of bacon fat was wasted. I only spooned out a couple tablespoons to use with the roux.

The duck stock sounds like a nice twist. Being that I have some duck stock in the freezer I think I'll try that one next.

[nessa]

I like them any way I can get them.

Southern style with as much pork as possible, or drowned in that pickled pepper juice stuff. .

But my favorite way of all, is a cold salad where the beans are cooked till just less than crunchy, then marinated in black sesame oil, mushroom soy sauce, splash of sweet rice vinegar, dash of sugar, and tons of red chile paste.

[fifi]

I tried fifi's southern style green beans tonight. She's my new hero! Boy were they good, we enjoyed them thoroughly along with Pan Roasted chicken breasts. I made the version with the roux, and no, not a drop of bacon fat was wasted. I only spooned out a couple tablespoons to use with the roux.

The duck stock sounds like a nice twist. Being that I have some duck stock in the freezer I think I'll try that one next.

Aw... thanks.

Good grief does that duck stock thing sound good. I need to get up close and personal with some ducks.

[Carlovski]

Simply cooked ina little water, and then adding lemon zest really brings out the flavor.