[bluedogz]

Well, Shel gets a little credit here for making me take the time to head out to some of my local farm stands here in the boonies of Maryland...

Score! A grocery bag full of green beans for $1! 'Course, now the trouble is... what the H-E-double-hockey-sticks do I do with all these beans? Normally, I'd just steam them, add a smidge of S&P, and there we go. BUT I'm making a sort of grilled fish curry tonight with cod marinated in EVOO, lemon, and a big scoop of garam masala, over jasmine rice.

Help?

[Suzanne]

How about making a quick pickle? Trim the ends off the beans. Slice some onions, preferably not sharp ones. Make a brine with vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices as you see fit and bring to a boil. Pour over the veggies and let stand until cool, then refrigerate. Bingo! And any that you don't eat tonight (in that unlikely event) will keep for a few days in the fridge.

[bluedogz]

OK, now I know that there are guidelines to the proportions in a brine, but I've only ever brined poultry... any guidance there?

[ChefTimoto]

You could make a warm green bean salad with Stoneground mustard mayonnaise, caramelized onions & roasted grape tomatoes.

Or

You can grill them off and then marinate them in basamic vinegar, olive oil and S&P. Then topped with some nice feta and pine nuts.

I know these don't fit your menu, but maybe something for future use?

[MaryB]

2 1/2 cups vinegar, 2 1/2 cups water, 1/4 cup salt, 4 dill heads, 4+ cloves of garlic. Mix all the above together and pour over the beans. Store in fridge for a week or two if they last that long. Forgot to say, bring everything but the beans and garlic to a boil, then pour it over the beans.

[yorvo]

Originally Posted by MaryB

2 1/2 cups vinegar, 2 1/2 cups water, 1/4 cup salt, 4 dill heads, 4+ cloves of garlic. Mix all the above together and pour over the beans. Store in fridge for a week or two if they last that long.

Then serve them as a garnish in Bloody Mary's. A whole bag of beans? Seems like an enjoyable way to use them up to me. Remember you've only got a week or two so drink up.

[teamfat]

Obviously too late to help with tuesday night's dinner, but here are a couple of my favorite ways to cook green beans. Both methods assume you have washed and trimmed the beans, cutting them into 1 - 2 inch chunks for ease of consumption is optional.

Stir Fry: Heat a scant tablespoon of peanut oil in your wok or big fry pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, toss in the beans, stir for about a minute. I like mine still on the raw and crispy side. If you like a bit of heat, add a good splash of sesame chili oil, or a couple tablespoons of chopped chilis, or some dried pepper flakes. Add a tablespoon or so of ponzu ( a citrus flavored soy sauce ) or regular soy sauce and a dash of lemon juice, cook for another 30 - 45 seconds. I'll often throw a couple of peeled cloves of garlic in the oil while it is heating. When the garlic starts getting toasty brown, fish it out, throw away ( or munch on it ) and add the beans.


Braised: Using an appropriate sized pot for the quantity of beans you'll be cooking, pour in chicken broth to a depth of about half an inch. Put over medium low heat. Dice 2 - 3 strips of your favorite bacon, add to the broth. Add the beans and cover. Simmer for 30 - 40 minutes, stirring every now and then, making sure there is still a good layer of broth in the pot, until beans reach desired tenderness. Depending on the broth and bacon chosen, you may not need to salt them, but some black pepper is a nice touch.


mjb.