I really enjoy good fresh green beans, but I tend to have problems preparing them. The problem I have is in the cooking process. If I pan fry them (with butter or evoo, garlic, shallot, etc...) then they are never done enough before they start to wrinkle and look ugly. If I put them in the oven and roast them the same thing happens! Should I blanch them before attempting any of these methods? Or should i go one up on blanching and boil them until almost done? How about any other ideas for cooking them? Thanks!
Fresh Green Beans help
- Thread starter C-Mart
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Seven S
Senior Cook
definitely blanch them in a large pot with heavily salted water, the key is that there is a lot of boiling water so that the volume is enough that when you add the green beans, the water does not lose its boil... then when almost done, shck in a bowl of ice water... then drain. use the green beans in your saute as you must.
jpmcgrew
Executive Chef
SevenS is right on.In fact you can blanch and shock and drain a couple hours ahead cover well and when ready saute or do what ever else you plan to do.Also makes a great crudite.
attie
Sous Chef
I get confused when you people talk "fresh green beans" here's a photo of what we call "fresh green beans"
We rarely eat bean seeds except as part of a salad or baked beans out of a can on toast.
Those are our green beans.
The roasted to shrivelled is what I LOVE about roasted green beans.
If you are stir frying them, keep them moving in the oil and herbs until they are crisp tender. If you do not like them crisp tender then simmering in water with some onion and bacon or ham is good.
Not all green beans do well when roasted or stir fried. They need to be small, fresh and tender for that prep.
The roasted to shrivelled is what I LOVE about roasted green beans.
If you are stir frying them, keep them moving in the oil and herbs until they are crisp tender. If you do not like them crisp tender then simmering in water with some onion and bacon or ham is good.
Not all green beans do well when roasted or stir fried. They need to be small, fresh and tender for that prep.
Nicholas Mosher
Sous Chef
Yup, green beans are one of my favorite vegetables!
I usually steam and then shock them (or eat them immediately).
For large groups of people I boil 6+qts of salted water and blanch/shock in batches.
I love dry-fried Sichuan String Beans. Haven't got into cooking sichuan cuisine much (hopefully next year), but I order these almost everytime I go out.
I usually steam and then shock them (or eat them immediately).
For large groups of people I boil 6+qts of salted water and blanch/shock in batches.
I love dry-fried Sichuan String Beans. Haven't got into cooking sichuan cuisine much (hopefully next year), but I order these almost everytime I go out.
blanche and shock, then stir fry or roast. love them deep fried with teriaki marinade. great as dilly beans too (dill pickled green beans)
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
After reading the section on Thomas Keller in "The Soul of a Chef" by Michael Ruhlman (a great book), I have adopted his way of cooking green beans -- boil in LOTS AND LOTS of salted water till done. I much prefer this method to steaming. This will probably be as close as I ever come to eating in the way of the French Laundry.
I also frequently stir fry them Szechuan-style without blanching, or sautee with onions and bacon, after blanching.
I also frequently stir fry them Szechuan-style without blanching, or sautee with onions and bacon, after blanching.
Nicholas Mosher
Sous Chef
I compared steaming to boiling, and couldn't tell a difference when enough water was used with the boiling method. It's just quicker for me to steam because I'm a bachelor. If I had six or seven people running around that needed a pile of beans I would most certainly boil.
