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How to Cook Green Beans
Instructions
Choose green beans that aren't old, without yellowed or coarse spots.
Pour water over the pods and rinse them.
Transfer them to a towel and sort through them, removing the older ones.
Cut off the tips of each pod. Cut the long ones into 2–3 parts, and leave the very young, short ones whole.
Put the prepared pods in a bowl.
Bring water to the boil and blanch the beans for 2 minutes, no more.
Drain the pods in a sieve and let all the moisture run off.
Now the green beans can be frozen, either vacuum-sealed or put in an ordinary bag. Work out the weight of each package by the number of servings you will cook at one time. In winter this product is quite expensive, but with this make-ahead batch you can go straight to your favourite recipe without thawing it first.
It's best to cook a small portion straight away for a tasty lunch.
Melt the butter, but take care that it doesn't start to burn.
Add the green pods. They are wonderfully delicious once infused with the buttery aroma.
Brown them lightly and add salt.
Transfer them to a dish and serve immediately. But there is also another option, if you use a heatproof dish.
Grate the cheese finely and spread it evenly over the entire surface of the beans.
Hold the dish in the oven at 180°C for just 3 minutes, so that the cheese melts and browns slightly.These beans are served as a full dish in their own right, but you can also pair them with other vegetables, meat and even fish.Knowing how to cook green beans and how to set them aside for later, you can quickly and properly feed your family at any moment.Give it a try, and enjoy your meal!
Tips
- 1
Choose young beans – the "secret" to the flavour. Old beans with yellowed pods are tough and fibrous. Young ones are bright green, firm and free of fibres.
- 2
2 minutes of boiling – strictly. Any longer and the beans go soft, losing their crunch and shape. Only blanch them for the make-ahead batch.
- 3
Freeze in portions – the "secret" to convenience. Make each bag the size of one meal. The beans must not be thawed and refrozen repeatedly.
- 4
Butter, not vegetable oil – the "secret" to the flavour. Vegetable oil simply "fries" the beans, while butter coats them in a creamy aroma. The same principle works in other side dishes made with green beans.
FAQ
Which beans should I choose? +
The ideal choice is young green asparagus-type beans. Good varieties include Saksa 615, Zhuravushka, Goluboe Ozero and Pobeditel. The pods are 8–15 cm long and 0.5–0.8 cm thick. Fresh ones are bright green, firm, with no fibres along the sides and no yellow patches. Trusted seed brands include Gavrish, Aelita and Poisk. Not suitable: overgrown pods (with large beans inside), limp, yellowed or partly spoiled ones. Imported beans from Turkey, Morocco or Egypt will also do. Yellow (wax) beans are fine too and differ only in colour. For a "premium" option, choose young farm-grown beans straight from the garden.
Which cheese should I choose for baking? +
The ideal choice is a hard cheese that melts well: Russian, Dutch, Gouda, Maasdam or Emmental. Alternatives include Parmesan (richer, premium), mozzarella (milder) and Edam (all-purpose). Trusted brands include Brest-Litovsk, Staroselsky and Syrobogatov. A fat content of 45–50% is best. Not suitable: brined cheeses (feta, bryndza), which will "weep", and processed cheese, which "spreads into mush". Grate it on a fine grater so it melts faster. For an "Italian" version, use a mix of Parmesan and mozzarella; for a "French" one, use Gruyère or Emmental.
How long does the frozen batch keep? +
In the freezer, in a tight bag or vacuum packaging, it keeps for up to 1 year. It must not be thawed and refrozen repeatedly. Cook it straight from frozen, without thawing first (this keeps the crunch). Once you open a bag, use the whole portion at once. Label the bags with the freezing date. In the fridge (not the freezer) it keeps 3–4 days at most. Don't leave thawed beans out on the worktop for longer than 2 hours. It is ideal as a "family batch" – bags of 200–300 g for one meal each. For convenience, freeze it in muffin moulds in portions.
What to serve with the baked beans? +
As a dish on its own – with toasted bread and fresh herbs. With fried meat (steak, chops, cutlets). With baked or grilled fish. With chicken (breast, thighs, wings). As a side for pilaf or risotto. With fried eggs or an omelette – a "fitness breakfast". With pasta or spaghetti. With a glass of dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay). With a light beer. For a "diet" lunch – on its own. With cherry tomatoes and olives – a "Mediterranean" version. A versatile side for healthy eating.
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