How do you cook fresh green beans?

[gandpsmommy]

Every time I've tried to cook fresh green beans they turn out bland. I need a method that will make them tasty. Thanks for any ideas?

[*Jen*]

Not the healthiest way to eat them but they sure taste good.

 

Steam until tender but still crisp (usually a couple of minutes for fresh green beans). While they are steaming saute a couple of cloves of minced garlic in butter. Dunk green beans in ice water to stop cooking. Then toss them with the butter and garlic and let them heat back up.

[LauraGB]

I usually don't cook them - we just eat them raw ;). However, on the off chance we do want them cooked, I roast them in the oven (or on the grill) with olive oil, a little crushed garlic, salt and pepper.

[littlebug42]

Sautee with sesame seeds in sesame oil. Yummy. If you prefer them softer, you can also cook in crock pot mama's old fashioned way with a piece of cottage ham and some potatoes or a slightly healthier way in some chicken broth and onion.

[eternalknot]

The short plump kind, or the haricot verts (skinny) kind?

 

I've never had the fatter kind because they've always looked gross to me LoL.

 

For the haricot verts, I just steam for 3-4 minutes, submerge in an ice bath to keep them slightly crispy and pretty in color, then I toss them into our dinner pot. Usually it's a stir-fry, but sometimes I'll serve them on the side. For this I'll mince some garlic and saute them with the beans (adding a dash of sesame oil and/or few tsp tamari) for an extra 1-2 minutes until the beans are re-warmed enough to serve. I like to add sesame seeds on top, too.

[BikeBookBread]

If they aren't finished raw, I stir fry in a bit of olive oil, add in some fresh garlic and finish with some lemon juice as you serve. Mmmmmmm.....

[Mejane]

I saute onions in olive oil, blanch the beans, then toss them together with some salt and pepper. Yum!

[Dawn in OH]

I just steam them. I love them plain. My grandmother used to add bacon to hers. My mom adds salt, pepper and butter.

[OhM]

We have yellow beans in the garden. I love them cooked ~20 minutes in boiling water, then salt & pepper. They don't even need butter.

 

The green beans we got in our CSA share were even better than my homegrown! They had a sweetness to them that was fantastic.

[Carol in Cal.]

However, when I want a green bean salad, I cook them very briefly in boiling water, just until they brighten in color, and then immerse them in cold water to stop the cooking at that point.

 

I make a vinaigrette that consists of chopped shallots, red wine vinegar, Grey Poupon mustard, and salt and pepper. (No oil, so I guess that technically it's not really a vinaigrette.) I put this over the beans right before serving, and toss. It's very tasty, but it doesn't keep well.

[Just Robyn]

Sometimes I stir-fry them in sesame oil. Deep fried in batter - like tempura - is tasty too.

[JoyfulMama]

I usually don't cook them - we just eat them raw ;). ...

:iagree: