French Beans, Anyone?
Posted on July 18, 2008, under Health.
Available throughout the year, French beans are one of the most convenient and healthy fresh green vegetables.Whether you call it French beans,wax beans,haricots or green beans, they all belong to a large and varied family.Compared to all the other beans available, French beans are mostly fat and fleshy and are firm, so that they break in half with a satisfying snapping sound.
WHY FRENCH BEANS ARE GOOD
Green common beans are also called string beans, stringless beans(depending on whether the pod has a tough, fibrous string running along its length), or snap beans.Compared to the dry beans, they provide less starch and protein, and more vitamin A and vitamin C.
HOW TO BUY THEM
When you buy the beans, they should be bright and crisp.Avoid wilted ones, or those with overly mature pods which feel spongy when lightly squeezed.They do not store well, so use as soon as possible after buying or picking.
HOW TO COOK THEM
Place beans into rapidly boiling salted water and cook until al dentre.When overcooked, beans have a flabby texture and also lose much of their flavour.Drain and toss them in butter or serve in a sauce with shallots and bacon.For salads, cook until just tender and then refresh under cold water.They are excellent with a garlic vinaigrette.Serve with carrots or other root vegetables and savour the contrast in flavours.
FRENCH BEANS WITH PEPPERS:
Ingredients: 500 gms French beans(both ends removed), 1 onion(large and diced), 1/2 red bell pepper(large and diced), 1/2 yellow bell pepper(large and diced), olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, salt to taste.
Methods: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.Blanch the string beans in a large pot of boiling salted water for just four minutes.Drain immediately and immerse in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.When they are cool, drain and set aside.Meanwhile, in a large bowl toss the onion and bell peppers together with two tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, tossing with a spatula from time to time to be sure the vegetables roast evenly.Just before serving, reheat the string beans in a large saute pan drizzled with a little olive oil.Sprinkle with salt and pepper and arrange on a platter.Spoon the roasted vegetables over the string beans and serve hot or at room temperature.
DID YOU KNOW?
From the royal tombs of ancient Egypt to the Old Testament cultivation, preparation, and consumption of beans are recognized.In some Eastern cultures, legumes were a basic dietary staple that can be traced back to more than 20,000 years.The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton(1621) listed 64 remedies for gas produced from eating beans.
