Green Beans

The green beans have been coming in and every summer I try to eat as many as I can while they are fresh so I don’t have to freeze them.

Green beans are called snap beans, pole beans, runner beans, bush beans, and string beans. Each name tells a little of the story of this type of bean. Beans that grow on vines-such as the native varieties-are called pole beans or runner beans because they need to run up poles or arbors for support. The name “green bean” refers not to their color, but to their immaturity because they are picked while the young pods are still edible. String beans have a sturdy, inedible string running down the sides of the pods that must be pulled off before the beans can be eaten. Because strings have been bred out of most varieties, string beans (both the name and the beans themselves) are fading into obscurity, although some people maintain that string beans are the tastiest of all and continue to grow them.

A word about cooking beans. Few aspects of southern cooking are more maligned and misunderstood than the issue of how long to cook vegetables, particularly snap beans and greens. At one time, most snap beans were sturdy pole beans with thick, tough pods that required extensive cooking to become edible. However, subjecting the newer stringless varieties to long cooking would dissolve them into a tasteless mess. If a bean pod is delicate and tender enough to eat raw, it needs quick, gentle cooking. If a bean pod is thick and has strings that must be pulled off, it needs long, slow cooking. When you know your bean, you know your cooking method.

I found this recipe for my husband’s green beans which are quite sturdy and need to be cooked slowly. These beans are simmered in onions, bacon, and tomatoes and go back to true southern roots.

From The New Southern Garden by Sheri Castle.

Slow-Simmered Beans with Tomatoes and Bacon

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 ¼ pound sturdy string beans

3 ounces high-quality slab or sliced bacon cut into ½-inch cubes or strips

1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and cut into thin strips

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped fresh tomatoes or canned whole tomatoes, chopped, juices reserved

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Break off the ends of the beans and use them like pull tabs to pull off the strings that run down the seams of the pods. No amount of cooking will make those strings edible. Snap (break) the beans into bite-sized lengths.

Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until it is browned and has rendered its drippings, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Stir in the onion, garlic, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, stirring and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Stir in the beans, salt, and pepper and b ring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until the beans are completely tender, about 2 hours. The beans just stay very moist in a little gently bubbling sauce, so add water as needed. Check the seasoning and serve hot. Store cooled leftovers covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days. They get better each day.

The next recipe is a quick and easy way to prepare whole beans. It works best with slender pods with few developed beans inside.

Oven-Roasted Whole Beans

Makes 4-6 servings

1-1 ½ pounds slender beans, ends trimmed

1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste

½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Put the beans on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with enough oil to moisten, season with the salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread the beans in a single layer and roast until tender with a few browned spots, 6 to 10 minutes, depending on the size and freshness of the pods.

Check the seasoning and serve hot.

Variation: You can use infused oil, such as garlic, lemon, basil, or mushroom, in place of the regular olive  oil.