Green beans are rich in nutrients and delicious, not to mention that they can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. They can be eaten raw as a snack, served with a sauce or added to a salad. There are also numerous ways to cook them, including skipping them to prepare a tasty side dish or incorporating them into soups and timbales. The preparation of green beans is quite simple. All you need to do is wash them and remove the stalks.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Clean and Cut the Green Beans
Step 1. Wash the green beans
Put them in a colander and wash them under running water. As the water flows, you can scrub them with your fingers to remove impurities and other particles. Turn off the tap and shake the colander to drain the excess water. Transfer them to a clean tea towel and pat them dry.
Step 2. Remove the stalks by hand or with a knife
If you need to cook a small amount, you can remove the little ones with your hands. Firmly pinch the top of the green bean by placing your thumb and forefinger just below the stem. This way you can detach it. You can leave the other end of the pod intact, which has a curved shape.
Use a knife to cut more green beans. Divide them into several manageable-sized bunches. Place one group at a time on a cutting board with all the stalks aligned. Keeping the pods steady, carefully cut all the stalks in one go with a large kitchen knife
Step 3. Do not cut the pods to prepare a garnish
Green beans can be cooked in a variety of ways; for example it is possible to fry them, brown them, steam them and so on. When you plan to cook them as a side dish or snack, you can leave them whole to better preserve their naturally sweet flavor and crunchy texture.
Step 4. Cut the green beans to add them to other dishes
If you have decided to incorporate them into other dishes, such as soups, salads or timbales, it is preferable to cut them into bite-sized pieces before adding them. Line up a handful of green beans on a cutting board and cut them into about 3 cm long pieces.
Method 2 of 4: Blanch the Green Beans
Step 1. Prepare an ice bath
Pour ice into a large bowl and fill it halfway. Fill the other half with water. Place it next to the stove so you can keep it handy when you're done boiling the green beans.
Blanching is a process that is carried out by boiling vegetables for a short period of time, and then interrupting the cooking process by immediately immersing them in ice water. This is a good way to keep the color, taste and texture of vegetables intact before storing them, especially if you plan to freeze them
Step 2. Bring the water to a boil
Fill a large saucepan with water and put the lid on. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. You can also add 1 tablespoon of salt if you want to lightly season the green beans.
Step 3. Boil the green beans for up to 4 minutes
Drop the pods into the boiling water. Bring the water to a boil again without a lid. Once it starts to boil again, continue to cook the green beans until they are slightly soft, while keeping them crunchy. Small pods take about 2 minutes, medium pods 3, and large pods 4.
Step 4. Move the cooked green beans to ice water
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Remove the pods from the boiling water with the help of a slotted spoon. Drain the excess water from the green beans before placing them in the ice water. Let them cool for 2 to 4 minutes or for the same amount of time you boiled them.
Soaking the green beans in frozen water will immediately stop the cooking process
Step 5. Drain the green beans
Once cool, move them to a colander. Leave them inside for 5 to 10 minutes to drain well and air dry.
Drained the green beans, they will be ready to be eaten, cooked with the method you prefer or stored in the refrigerator or freezer
Method 3 of 4: Cook Green Beans in Different Ways
Step 1. Sauté them in a pan to prepare a fresh and crunchy side dish
In a large skillet, place 450 g of blanched green beans that have not been cut and that still have the stalk. Add 3 tablespoons of butter and cook over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes to heat them. Incorporate 3 cloves of minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Cook them for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 2. Steam them to make them softer
Fill the steamer basket with 125g of green beans per person. Fill the tank with water to the minimum level. Turn on the steamer and cook the green beans for about 7 minutes or until soft but still crunchy.
- Steamed green beans can be seasoned with salt, pepper, lemon pepper, garlic powder, or other herbs and spices to your liking.
- You can also steam them using a metal basket and regular pot.
Step 3. Microwave the green beans to prepare them faster
Place 125 g of whole green beans in a microwave-safe bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water and cover the bowl with a lid or a sheet of cling film. Open the lid slightly or peel off the foil at one corner to let the steam escape. Cook the green beans on full power for 3 to 4 minutes, until soft.
Step 4. Roast the green beans to make a crunchy and tasty side dish
Spread the green beans on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, parchment paper, or a silicone mat. Pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season to taste with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake for 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 220 ° C. Turn them only once during the cooking process.
- To complete the preparation, you can sprinkle them with a handful of cheese cut into strips, such as mozzarella, parmesan or cheddar.
- You can also substitute olive oil for canola or grapeseed oil.
Step 5. Add them to a timbale
There are numerous types of timbales you can make, and you can add 125g of shredded green beans to any of them. Here are some popular recipes that go well with green beans:
- Timbales of vegetables;
- Rice timbales;
- Baked pasta;
- Potato timbale.
Step 6. Add them to soups or soups
Various recipes of homemade meat soups, stews and vegetable soups can be customized by adding chopped green beans. Incorporate 125g into any soup or cream of your choice, such as:
- Broccoli soup;
- Cream of chicken;
- Minestrone;
- Soup with barley and meat;
- Velvety Asparagus;
- Mushroom stew.
Method 4 of 4: Storing the Green Beans
Step 1. Store fresh green beans in the refrigerator for up to a week
Fresh green beans can be preserved with the stalk, but you can also wash and cut them first. Move them to a plastic bag and fold the top of the bag once. Put it in the fruit and vegetable drawer of the fridge. Green beans can be stored for 5 to 7 days.
- If you have washed and cut them, wrap them in kitchen paper before putting them in the bag. This will absorb excess water and prevent the green beans from spoiling.
- Blanching has several advantages; for example, it helps make green beans last longer, in part because it kills germs. Blanched green beans can be stored in the fridge for several days longer than those that have not been treated with this method.
Step 2. Freeze blanched green beans for up to 10 months
After washing, cutting, blanching and draining them, transfer them to an airtight freezer bag or other suitable container. Close the bag or put the lid on the bowl and place the green beans in the freezer. They will last from 8 to 10 months.
It is best to blanch the green beans before freezing them, as this helps preserve their color, taste and texture
Step 3. Store cooked green beans in the refrigerator for up to 5 days
Leftover browned, stir fried, roasted, or otherwise cooked green beans can be stored and eaten later. Put them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge to keep them fresh.
