Green Beans
Beans
In the bean department, Maggie, our daughter, recommends simple and delicious. Steam the beans until tender. Melt a little butter over the beans and salt and pepper to taste. We’d have to agree – they are delicious!
Beans with Ginger and Garlic
serves 10 (cooking.nytimes.com) This recipe has a 5-star rating based on 479 ratings! It can easily be halved or reduced to accommodate the number of beans you have.
Salt
1⁄4 minced fresh ginger
2 1⁄2 lbs. beans, trimmed
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill a large bowl with ice water. Working in two batches (or one if reducing), boil beans until just tender but still crisp and bright green. Start testing after 2 minutes or so, being careful not to overcook. When done, plunge beans into ice water to stop cooking, lift out immediately when cool and drain on a towel. (Recipe can be made at this point up to a day in advance and kept refrigerated, wrapped in towels.)
When ready to cook, heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add half the beans, half the ginger and half the garlic, and cook, stirring and tossing constantly, until beans are heated through and ginger and garlic are softened and aromatic. Sprinkle with salt, and remove to a serving dish. Repeat, if needed, with remaining oil, beans, ginger and garlic. Serve.
Garlic Green Beans
1 1/4 pounds green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon finely chopped or grated lemon zest
1 ounce (about 2 tablespoons) toasted almonds, either slivered or finely chopped
(3 tablespoons chopped)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small bulb, or 4 cloves, green garlic, or 2 large cloves regular garlic,
minced Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and add the beans. Cook for five minutes until tender, and transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water. Drain. (Alternatively, steam the beans for five minutes and refresh with cold water).
2. Mix together the parsley, lemon zest and almonds in a small bowl. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet, and add the garlic. As soon as it begins to sizzle and smell good (30 seconds to a minute), stir in the beans. Toss for about a minute until the beans are coated with oil and cooked garlic, then stir in the parsley mixture. Stir for a minute, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the beans to a platter or serving dish, scrape the almond mixture remaining in the pan over the top and serve.
Yield: Serves Four.
The blanched or steamed green beans will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.
Green Bean and Potato Salad
Serves 4 (love and lemons.com)
6-8 small potatoes (about ¾ lb.)
2 Tbsp. Olive oil, more to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 heaping tsp. Capers
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 big handfuls of green and/or yellow wax beans
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 scallions, chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh oregano leaves
¼ tsp. Red pepper flakes
Sea salt and freshly ground clack pepper
Optional:
½ cup cooked chickpeas
½ cup cooked burger, quinoa, or millet
Soft boiled eggs
Pickled onions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Scrub the potatoes and slice them into 1-inch pieces. Add the potatoes and cook until knife tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, capers, mustard, and generous pinches of salt and pepper. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mash the garlic and capers into a paste at the bottom of the bowl. When your potatoes are done, scoop them out of the water (leave the water boiling for your green beans), transfer them to the bowl, and toss to coat with the dressing at the bottom of the bowl.
3. Prepare a bowl of ice water and place it near your pot of boiling water. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until tender but still vibrant, about 3 minutes. Scoop beans out of boiling water and into ice bath to cool, about 1 minute. Drain well and toss into bowl of potatoes. Add lemon juice and zest, scallions, parsley, oregano, and red pepper flakes and toss to coat.
4. Taste, add more salt, pepper, lemon juice as needed. If salad is dry, drizzle with more oil and toss again.
5. Add optional ingredients if using.
Green Bean and Tomato Salad
Serves 6 (adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters: 1996)
Ingredients:
1 lbs. green beans
1 lbs. tomatoes
1 large shallot (or use part of a fresh onion)
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh basil or parsley, chopped
Directions: 1. Trim the beans and par-boil them in salted water until tender. Drain and immediately spread them out to cool. (The beans retain more flavor if you avoid shocking them in cold water) Stem the tomatoes and cut them into large chunks. This step can be done in advance. 2. For the vinaigrette, peel and dice the shallot fine (or onion) and put in a bowl with the vinegar and salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust the balance with more vinegar, oil, or salt, as needed. 3. Carefully toss the tomatoes in with the vinaigrette; this can sit for a while. Do not add the green beans until just before serving or they will discolor from the acid in the vinaigrette. Garnish with basil or parsley.
Green Bean Salad with Red Onion & Tomato
serves 4 (denisonfarm.com)
1 lb. fresh green beans, washed & trimmed
¼ red onion, sliced thin
¼ to ½ cucumber, cut into thin sticks resembling shape and size of green beans
½ pint grape tomatoes halved, or large chop red tomatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
½ lemon, juiced
Course salt and pepper
Steam green beans in 1/2-inch boiling water covered for 3 or 4 minutes. Cold shock beans by running under cold water and drain well. Place beans in a bowl and combine with onions, cucumber and tomato. Dress salad with a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and the juice of 1/2 lemon. Season salad with coarse salt and pepper, to taste.
Lemony Green Bean Salad with Feta and Red Onion
serves 4 (Food52.com)
Ingredients:
1 lbs. green beans
4 oz. feta
¼ red onion, super-thinly sliced (or use the onion in this week’s bag!)
3-4 sprigs fresh marjoram, leaves stripped and roughly chopped (oregano is good too, maybe thyme?)
¼ cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced and zested•dash agave nectar or sugar to taste
Directions:
1- Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Throw in green beans for about 4 minutes or until al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water.
2- Blend together lemon juice, zest, olive oil and agave nectar.
3- Combine beans and red onion, crumbled cheese, and marjoram. Toss with dressing.
Midsummer Green Bean (& Cucumber) Salad
serves 6 (harmonyvalleyfarm.com)
¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. Kosher salt
2 lbs. green beans, tipped and tailed
1 lbs. sliced cucumber or sliced and sautéed summer squash
½ cup fresh onions, thinly sliced
½ cup olive oil
Generous amounts of freshly ground black pepper
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
½ lemon
1. Bring 3 quarts water plus the ¼ cup salt to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the beans. Return water to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. While the beans cook, prepare a very cold ice water bath in a large bowl. Drain the beans and plunge into ice water. Stir and toss.
2. While the beans are chilling, combine the cucumbers with remaining 2 Tbsp. salt and sliced onions in a bowl. Toss and allow to sit for 20 minutes.
3. Drain the beans and add to the cucumber mixture. Add the olive oil and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Allow to sit until ready to serve, or up to 1 hour.
4. Before serving toss in the dill and squeeze lemon over the top.
Potato Green Bean Salad
6 oz. green beans
2 lbs red potatoes, cut into potato salad sized pieces
¼ cup olive oil
4 tsp lemon juice
4 tsp whole grain mustard
2 teaspoons chopped thyme leaves
½ cup thinly sliced red onion
Coarse salt
Simmer green beans in salted water until barely tender and bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or wire-mesh skimmer, and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain, and pat dry. Add potatoes to the same pot of salted water, and simmer until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes, and halve them. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, and thyme in a large bowl. Add potatoes, beans, and red onion. Gently toss. Season with salt.
Roasted Green Beans with garlic & pine nuts
serves 6 (The New Moosewood Cookbook; 2000)
The addition of fresh thyme or sage to the roasting pan with the beans, onions and garlic may add an extra flavor to this dish…..
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. fresh, whole green beans, trimmed
1 cup thinly sliced onion
10-12 medium cloves of garlic, peeled
salt and pepper
1 – 2 Tbsp. balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the green beans, onions, and garlic cloves on a baking tray, toss with 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake for 20 minutes, intermittently stirring or shaking the tray. Taste a green bean to see if it’s as tender as you like it. If not, put it back in for another 5-10 minutes.
Remove from oven, transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with vinegar, and possibly grind in additional black pepper. Serve at any temperature, topped with lightly toasted pine nuts.
Roasted Vegetable Salad
This recipe can be used with a mixture of vegetables that sounds good to you. The trick is to cut the vegetables in varying thicknesses based on how long they will take to roast since you’ll want them to all get done at the same time. Carrots or potatoes should be sliced thinner than summer squash or egg plant, for example.
Preheat oven to 425.
10 cups or so of fresh vegetables chopped for even cooking
possibilities include, but are not limited to potatoes, eggplant, onions, garlic, summer
squash, green beans, peppers, fennel, carrots, garlic.
Spread on a baking pan and toss with ¼ cup olive oil and sprinkle with salt – kosher salt, if you have some. Bake for 20 minutes or until vegetables are cooked through, stirring occasionally.
Let the vegetables cool.
Slice 2 cups of cherry tomatoes in half and toss with the vegetables along with 3 oz. of feta cheese and a vinaigrette dressing.
Vinaigrette Dressing:
1 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, pressed
½ teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons olive oil
fresh herbs – try basil, thyme, oregano to taste
Pepper to taste
The vegetables would also be good served over pasta or rice or topping a pizza.
Slow Roasted Romano Beans
(epicurious.com) (This recipe calls for a lot of beans. Adjust ingredients based on amount of beans in this week’s bag)
2 small onions
6 large cloves garlic, peeled
2 1⁄2 lbs. Romano beans, stems removed, tails left on
1 Tbsp. rosemary leaves
1 Tbsp. sage leaves
1 Tbsp. thyme leaves
3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel the onions, trim the roots, but leave the root ends intact (this will keep the onions in wedges, rather than slices). Cut the onions lengthwise into 3 or 4 thick (about 1/3 inch) wedges. Slice the garlic cloves lengthwise into a couple thick slices each.
Toss all the ingredients in a large bowl with 1 Tbsp. salt and freshly ground pepper. Transfer the beans to a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are completely wilted, shrunken, and concentrated in flavor, with a little caramelization around the edges. (You may need to stir more often toward the end, to keep the beans from browning too quickly.)
Skillet Roasted Potatoes with Green Beans, Basil and Feta
From farm member Laura Murphy’s farmshareseason.tumblr.com- thanks Laura!
1.5 lb small or medium potatoes
2 tb olive oil plus enough olive oil to equal the amount of juice you get from the lemon
¾ lb green beans
1/3 c chopped fresh basil
juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
¼ lb crumbled feta
1. Heat first 2 tb of olive oil in a heavy-bottom 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. If you have cast iron, this is an awesome time to use it.
2. While the oil and skillet heat up, cut your potatoes. If using small potatoes (1.5 to 2 in diameter) halve the potatoes. If using medium potatoes (2-3 in diameter), quarter them. Rinse potatoes in cold water, drain well, and pat dry.
3. Once the oil in the skillet is shimmering, add your potatoes, cut side down, in a single layer – you might want to use tongs. Cook without stirring until golden brown (5-7 minutes). Turn the pototoes (I suggest using tongs again), either to second cut side down (medium potatoes that you quartered) or skin side down (small potatoes that you cut in half). Cook without stirring until golden brown again (probably another 5 to 6 minutes). Stir potatoes, then redistribute in a single layer. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and cook until potatoes are tender (try one) – this will probably be 6-9 minutes.
4. Once you get your potatoes in the pan, put a pot of salted water to boil over high heat.
5. While the water boils and the potatoes cook, trim the ends off of your green beans and cut into 1-1.5 inch pieces
6. When the water is boiling, add the green beans and add until they are crisp tender or just shy, 4-7 minutes (take them off the heat when they are a little less done than you like; they’ll keep cooking after they’re removed from the heat). Drain.
7. While the green beans are cooking, chop your basil.
8. And then, juice your lemon. When it’s juiced, whisk the lemon juice together with an equal amount of olive oil.
9. Put the potatoes and green beans in a large boil as they finish cooking. When both are done, add your basil, olive oil/lemon juice, and feta. Season with salt and pepper as you like.
Stewed Romano Beans with Tomatoes
serves 4 to 6 (cooking.nytimes.com)
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
Salt
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ lbs. fresh romano beans, trimmed & cut in 2 to 3-inch lengths
1 cup grated or chopped peeled tomatoes (about ¾ lb.)
¼ cup chopped fresh dill (or parsley?)
Ground black pepper
Feta cheese for topping, optional
Cooked pasta or grains, such as quinoa or brown rice, optional
Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat in a wide, lidded skillet or Dutch oven and add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook gently, without browning, stirring often, until tender & translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, cook, stirring, for another minute, until fragrant.
Stir in romano beans, tomatoes and half the dill. Add ½ cup water, bring to a simmer,
Season with salt & pepper, and simmer for 20 minutes, until beans are tender. Stir in remaining dill & olive oil and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature, with feta sprinkled over top if desired; serve over cooked grains or tossed with pasta if desired.