How to choose and cook green beans?

Light, nutritious, easy to store and cook, they are the kings of the vegetable garden. Summer is the best time to eat them fresh and hull them.

Bean season

From July to September, we enjoy ultra-fresh and crunchy green beans. Part of the slimming vegetables par excellence, green beans are light with 34 kcal/100g and rich in fiber which promotes satiety. This green vegetable must be eaten cooked using different methods.

Usually, we “trim” the beans to remove the little threads, which are not pleasant to taste, but this is not obligatory. They can be consumed without going through this step.

How to choose green beans?

Prefer them extra-fine and French, in the “fillet” variety with long, thin, smooth, swollen and spotless pods. The beans should be firm to the touch, and if they break when folded, it’s a sign of freshness. It is better to choose long, thin beans rather than large ones, which could contain more threads. Finally, they should be a nice uniform green color.

How to store green beans?

Green beans can be kept in a cool place for 3 to 4 days in a damp cloth. As soon as they start to soften, it’s time to cook them.

How to cook green beans?

Trimmed and rinsed, they are sautéed in a pan, steamed or cooked in a large volume of lightly salted boiling water. After cooking, an ice water bath preserves their crunch and color.

Steaming Green Beans

Easy to successfully steam your green beans. How do we do ? Place the green beans in the pressure cooker basket with a splash of water. Cover and let cook for between 10 and 15 minutes.

Cooking green beans in a bain-marie

Cooking green beans in a bain-marie is undoubtedly the most basic cooking method but one that continues to be popular. How do we do ? Simply immerse the green beans in boiling, salted water. They are cooked uncovered for between 8 and 15 minutes depending on the size of the beans.

Cooking Green Beans in a Pan

To make a pan-fried fresh green bean, sauté them with a drizzle of olive oil. We can pour a glass of water (to almost cover them) and boil for a few seconds. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

Cooking time steamed green beans: 15 minutes
Cooking time green beans in a bain-marie: 15 minutes
Cooking time green beans in the pan: 20 minutes

How to cook green beans?

They are excellent served cold in a salad with fresh almonds and nectarines, or hot alongside fish, meat and poultry. They can also be slipped into a summer vegetable tart, or an original salad.