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Green beans are available year round,
with a peak season of May to October. Green beans are also called string beans
and snap beans. Green beans were once called string beans. Today they are
stringless; just break off the end as you wash them. Leave whole or cut into
desired lengths.
Wash beans thoroughly in clear, cool water. Lift beans from the wash water and
leave garden debris behind. Rinse again. Beans can be cooked whole, cut
crosswise, diagonally or French-cut. If you want sweet tasting, crisp fresh
beans, cut them as little as possible. Cut older, more mature beans in the
French style.
Boiling, steaming or microwaving are popular ways to prepare beans. Stir-frying
preserves the best qualities of the fresh bean. Whatever cooking method you
choose, remember to cook beans as little as possible using the smallest amount
of water as possible. |
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Herb Garden Green Beans
4 T. unsalted butter
1/3 C. minced onion
1/4 C. minced celery
1/4 C. minced fresh parsley
1/4 C. fresh basil chiffonade
1 t. chopped fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. salt
1 t. freshly ground pepper
1 lb. green beans, snapped and blanched
Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onion and celery. Sauté until soft. Add
parsley, basil, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 3
minutes. Gently stir in beans. Cook uncovered until beans are thoroughly heated.
Serves 4 - 6.
Note: To make basil chiffonade, roll basil leaves up tightly and thinly slice
crosswise. The resulting strips are called chiffonade. This process is usually
used for basil and sage, so that leaves are not bruised.
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