On the Table: Fresh Green Beans

There is nothing quite like quickly cooked fresh green beans.  The canned and frozen varieties are fine for casseroles (with mushroom soup and fried onions!), but to really appreciate the beauty of the green bean, fresh is the only way to go.  I found some at the farmers' market, and I was unbelievably excited to cook them.  To retain the fantastic crispness, the green beans should only be cooked briefly.  Cooking them with garlic is a traditional and delicious approach.  To prepare:

Snap or cut the ends off the green beans.

Mince a whole bunch of  garlic (I think I used five cloves).

Put a medium-sized pot over medium/low heat and thinly coat the bottom of the pan with canola oil.  Melt about half a tablespoon of butter in the oil.  It is good if the butter starts to brown, but don't let it burn!  Add the garlic into the pot and cook briefly.

Add the green beans to the pot.

Cook briefly, stirring well to coat the green beans in the oil/butter/garlic.  Add a splash of chicken stock into the pot (you just want a VERY thin layer of liquid in the bottom of the pan), along with salt and pepper.  Cover the pot and cook for about five minutes, or until the green beans start to get tender but retain their crispness (no soggy green beans, please!). 

Instead of cooking the green beans in liquid at this point, you could blanch the green beans first (cook them briefly in boiling water, then shock them in ice water) so they are partially cooked, then saute them quickly with the garlic to finish.  However, keep in mind that that will leave you with extra dishes to wash!

When the green beans are the perfect combination of tender and crisp, serve 'em up!

Enjoy!