GREEN beans are one of my favourite veggies, and right now they're at their best.
Beautiful local beans are available at most large grocery stores and produce markets.
There's so much more you can do with them beyond steaming or boiling - try one of the recipes below and broaden your horizons. Choose slim, unblemished green beans that snap in two when you bend them - if they don't snap they're not super-fresh.
DILLY PICKLED BEANS
These are totally addictive - crunchy, salty, and really easy to make. If you don't want to bother processing the jars then just store them in the refrigerator. Don't worry if the garlic turns blue in the jar - it's a harmless chemical reaction.
2 lbs fresh green beans
3½ Tbsp kosher or pickling salt (don't use regular table salt)
2½ cups white vinegar
2½ cups water
1 Tbsp sugar
4 large cloves garlic
4 large sprigs of fresh dill
4 small jalapeno peppers
Sterilize four one-pint canning jars and their lids by placing them in a large pot of water and bringing them to a boil. Drain upside down on a clean towel or paper towel.
Wash the beans and remove ends. Slice the garlic and the jalapenos (if you want less spicy pickles remove the seeds and veins from the peppers). Combine water, vinegar, salt and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Meanwhile place one sliced garlic clove, one sprig of dill and one jalapeno in each jar, then pack in green beans. Ladle the vinegar mixture into the jars up to ¼-inch below top; place lids on jars. Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes or store in refrigerator. Store at least one week before eating (but I can't usually wait that long - they taste really good even one day after making!)
CZECH GREEN BEANS
You can substitute Brussels sprouts, broccoli or cauliflower florets for the green beans in this recipe.
1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and bias cut into
1½-inch pieces
4 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika, or more to taste
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup sour cream
¼ tsp salt
Cook green beans in boiling salted water until just tender; drain immediately.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet sauté onions in butter until translucent, 4-5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in paprika until well combined.
With a fork blend the flour and salt into the sour cream. Add to the onions in the skillet, mix well and simmer on low for 4-5 minutes. Stir in the beans and simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Not Your Mother's Green Bean Casserole
From the Food Network's Alton Brown comes this elegant version of a classic - no mushroom soup or canned green beans in this one. Try it with your Thanksgiving turkey.
For the topping:
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp Japanese panko bread crumbs
½ tsp kosher salt
Non-stick cooking spray
For beans/sauce:
1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and bias cut into
1½-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp butter
¾ lb mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half (Creamo)
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Coat a baking sheet with non-stick spray and spread the onions out evenly on the sheet; place on middle oven rack and bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes - toss the onions two to three times during cooking. Remove from oven and set aside until ready to use. Reduce oven temperature to 400 F.
Meanwhile, blanch the beans for five minutes in boiling salted water. Drain and immediately rinse with very cold water to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms start to give up liquid, about four to five minutes. Add garlic and cook another one to two minutes.
Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to combine; cook for one minute. Add broth and simmer one minute; decrease heat to medium-low and add cream. Cook until mixture thickens, six to eight minutes. Remove from heat and stir in ¼ of the onions and the green beans. Turn into a buttered casserole dish and top with remaining onions; bake until bubbly, about 15 minutes.
Serve immediately.
