Green bean

Browse All Green bean Recipes

About green beans
The green beans are the name used for any kind of immature beans, like the yard long bean, hyacinth bean, pea, common bean and wined bean. These plants are, in fact, fruits, but they are consumed as vegetables when they are eaten as green beans. If the plant suffers from magnesium deficiency, then the leaves turn into a yellow color. The flowers of these beans are rather small and they vary in colors, from black to white. In order to grow healthy, green beans require plenty of sunlight and fertilizer. Green beans are eaten and prepared in various ways: from canned, frozen and fresh to boiled, fried and steamed, with various spices and meats. One of the most popular green bean dishes is the green bean casserole, which is mostly served at the Thanksgiving dinner. The best way to cook the green beans is until they get tender, in order to avoid getting mushy. The green bean meals are high in vitamins A and C and they are considered a healthy dish.

These beans are often called string beans because years ago a fibrous string ran along the seam of the bean. The string was noticeable when you snapped off the ends. The snapping noise is the reason for its other nickname.

Selection
It is best to handpick green beans from a market that sells them loose. To ensure uniform cooking time, select beans of similar size and shape. Choose slender beans (no thicker than a pencil) that are crisp and free of blemishes. The beans should be a bright green color. Do not purchase beans that are stiff or have the seeds visible through the pod because those beans will be tough.

Availability
Fresh green beans are available all year, with a peak season of May to October. Green beans are also available canned and frozen.

Preparing Green bean
Wash beans thoroughly in clear, cool water. Beans can be cooked whole, cut crosswise or diagonally, or French-cut (i.e., cut along the length of the bean). If you want sweet tasting, crisp fresh beans, cut them as little as possible. Cut older, more mature beans in the French style (i.e., lengthwise).

Stir-frying is one of the easiest ways to prepare green beans. This method maintains more nutrients than other cooking methods. Whatever cooking method you choose, remember to cook beans as little as possible, using the least amount of water possible.

Boiling, steaming, and microwaving are other common methods for preparing green beans. When boiling, beans may release some nutrients into the water, so try to re-use the bean water to regain some of the nutrients lost. For example, you can use the water to boil rice.

To blanch green beans, wash them and remove the ends and strings. Leave the beans whole or snap them in half. In a covered medium saucepan, cook the beans in a small amount of boiling, lightly salted water for 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and place in ice water until chilled. Drain well.

Cooking Green bean
There are so many ways in which you can use Green bean. Cook it in soups, chop it up and toss it in salads or use it as a side dish for different meat dishes. The list of Green bean recipes is almost endless, mainly because this is a very popular vegetable in many countries and chefs are always coming up with innovative ways of preparing Green bean. Many vegetarian menus place Green bean within the top ten plants, but this nutritious vegetable is also used in many meat-based dishes.

Tips

 * Green beans continue to cook after you take them out of the boiling water. Either take them out just before they are cooked the way you like, or plunge them into ice water immediately to stop them cooking further.
 * The fewer beans in the pan, the quicker they cook and the better they taste. If cooking more than one pound at a time, use separate pans.

Storing Green bean
Keep green beans dry in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for 4 to 5 days.

Canned Green Beans
Canned green beans are whole, cut, or sliced lengthwise (French style).

Storage

 * Store unopened cans in a cool, dry place off the floor.
 * Avoid freezing or exposure to direct sunlight. Sudden changes in temperature shorten shelf life and speed deterioration.
 * Store opened green beans in a tightly covered nonmetallic container and refrigerate. Use within 2 to 4 days.

Uses
Serve canned green beans heated, or use in a variety of main dishes, soups, and salads.

Preparation

 * Canned green beans should be heated only to serving temperature and served soon after heating. Do not boil or overcook.
 * Add flavor to canned green beans by seasoning with herbs and spices, including caraway, dill, or sage.
 * Serve green beans in combination with other vegetables, such as whole kernel corn, red peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, or onions.

Source

 * Fruit & Vegetable of the Month: Fresh Beans by the US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, public domain government resource—original source of article
 * Beans, Green Canned by the US Department of Agriculture, public domain government resource—original source of recipe
 * World Recipes Y-Group