2 Easy Fresh Beans Recipes: A Wonderful and Healthy Addition To Any Meal!

2 Easy Fresh Beans Recipes: A Wonderful and Healthy Addition To Any Meal!

Fresh beans are supposed to break off easily if they’re bent and very crispy too. If green beans fold over easy then they’re not as fresh as they should be. You could still use them up but their freshness is already not present.

There’s actually nothing more tasty than a great recipe which has fresh beans in them and here I’ll give you my most favorite bean dishes. Before going to the actual recipe, I’d like to teach you how to store your fresh green beans inside the freezer.

Just strip off strings at its side then take off its ends. Put your beans inside a clean strainer then blanch using really hot water. After that, immediately put your beans inside a Ziploc bag then place inside the freezer. That way, you retain their freshness whenever you want to cook dishes with green beans.

Green Beans With Garlicky Sauce

1.5 lbs green beans (really fresh ones would be ideal)
4 oz. fresh Shitake mushrooms (optional)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Pinch of fresh basil and oregano, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs (optional)
8 cloves garlic, peeled

Instructions

Into your saucepan, bring 5 cups water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt. Add beans (strings and ends removed). Boil beans for 4-5 minutes, until tender but not overcooked. When tender, shock beans inside a bowl of ice water to prevent overcooking and retain bright green color.

Remove after 30 seconds then let drain in colander. Into your big heavy bottom skillet, heat olive oil with cloves of garlic and mushrooms. Saut� until garlic becomes tan, but not brown. Mash garlic into oil with the tines of a fork.

Add cooked beans, parsley, butter & remaining ingredients. Toss with cheese and bread crumbs (optional) and the fresh green bean recipe will be ready to serve when butter has melted….nice one!

Cook’s Note: Garlic cloves may be removed before serving, or left in for added flavor, as desired. Garlic could be pureed or pressed through a sieve, but this will eliminate the “roasted” garlic flavor which characterizes this dish. May be served either warm or cold (if served cold, omit butter).

Variations: A strip of lean bacon or Pancetta may be saut�ed in olive oil before adding garlic, then crumbled in. For that piquant flavor, beans may be served cold, either as salad, and dressed with a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon or balsamic vinegar.

Steamed Green Beans With Lemon Butter

Green beans (fresh); washed, ends trimmed, and cut in desired lengths
1/2 cup (1 stick) pure butter
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 small lemon, or to enhance taste
Salt & pepper for seasoning

You will need a vegetable steamer or a pan or appliance adaptable to steaming. I use an electric wok that has a steaming ring that rests above the water level. Put enough water in the pan, etc., so the water will not touch your beans when it boils.

With the steamer in the pan, bring the water to a boil. Place green beans on your steamer above the water. Cover pan and steam your beans until crunchy tender. Cooking time will vary.

Young beans will steam-cook faster than older, mature green beans, which may take up to 20 minutes. Occasionally taste-test one for doneness. They should be slightly crunchy, not limp. Don’t overcook.

Meanwhile, as beans are steaming, finely grate the rind from your lemon and set aside. Then squeeze the juice from out of your lemon and set aside. Melt butter inside a small saucepan over low heat, being careful not to let it burn. Add in grated lemon rind and heat briefly. Then stir in lemon juice and take off from heat.

When beans are done, remove them from your steamer then put inside a big bowl. Pour the lemon butter over the hot beans and toss till coated. Taste for seasoning, adding salt & pepper as needed. Serve using a big platter.