[kpollard_2000]

What do you add to your green beans for seasoning? I use canned. My problem is I only like them when they're slow cooked for hours with ham seasonings. But for large buffets, I don't have time. any suggestions on flavorings?

 

[shroomgirl]

fresh, lemon juice, butter, garlic

canned cream of shroom soup, canned onions, waterchestnuts, sour cream casserole

 

[dlee]

I like my green beans alittle crunchy with butter salt and pepper. Sometimes, Also with carmelized onions and chopped onions.

 

[mudbug]

Crunchy with asian spicy bean curd. Tried and true, always a hit, hands down winner! (And only 5 minutes to make!)

 

[mezzaluna]

I also like them crunchy, but if I have to use canned in a pinch, I sprinkle a little Knorr's Aromat for vegetables on them. Hides the canned taste pretty well.

 

[lynne]

(We always have crumbled bacon in the freezer)

Sweat onions, add bacon, pepper, beans and chopped tomato (canned or fresh). Cook for as long as you can but 10-15 minutes is fine. Lots of flavour for short time (and we always have the ingredients!!)

 

[chef david simpson]

I like roasted ginger and sweet butter.

parcook for one minute ad lemon to the water for nice color, ice bath, use a towel to get as much of the water off as you can.
saute roasted ginger in butter, ad beans, cook until tender.ad S&P to taste.
Takes about ten minutes.

[This message has been edited by Chef David Simpson (edited October 17, 2000).]

 

[kpollard_2000]

Shroomgirl, I'm also from the St. Louis area.
How much work are the fresh beans? Do you always receive high quality from a local distributer or do you rely on your produce supplier to get you the highest quality. I'm always afraid of getting a bad batch and creating more work for myself.

 

[cape chef]

I am not one to disagree in publick with a peer, But I have to mention that adding lemon juice to blanching water for green vegetables will turn the veggies an off color it will not stabilize the green. always season your water with Kosher salt and thats it.Blanch and shock. and your greens will have a great color. Remember I am talking about green vegetables
Respectivly
Capechef

 

[greg]

I was taught by a J&W chef-instructor that blanching green veg in salted water resulted in a spotty, mottled look. Has anyone else heard/seen this?

 

[chef david simpson]

cape chef, I would like you to try the recipe first befor you dispute. putting lemon in the water was an idea that was given to me from a chef while I was at the James Beard Foundation. But thank you for the advice.

 

[chef david simpson]

as for salt in the water. this is the classical way. it helps to limber and flavor the beans.

[This message has been edited by Chef David Simpson (edited October 18, 2000).]

 

[cape chef]

I am a J&W Graduate 1980. as for your advice Greg I would challenge that teacher. Blanching in salted water is the most basic of technique. I have never come across spotted green vegetables due to salting the water.I was taught many years ago when apprenticing at Lutece about this fact.As I mentioned before in my post I am talking of green vegetables. Acid added to veggies in certain stages is a great way to highten flavor but not during a par boil. Chef simpson, again with respect your recipe asks for lemon added to the blanch to add color, as a colleque I respectivly disagree

 

[greg]

Too late to argue it with Steve Nogle; I graduated in '95. Also had a pastry instructor tell us that alcohol evaporates completely if you bring it to the lower 170 degrees F. Just found out that it's not true. I'm thinking of asking for a little of my tuition back for every time I discover one of these errors!

 

[shroomgirl]

Green beans in St. Louis.....hmmmmm
well they vary alot...Schnucks is hit or miss
The farmers don't raise alot of them because they are not cost effective.....so I get them when I can.....Haricot Verte at Straubs isa pretty reliable source.

 

[chef david simpson]

I love a good challenge, but the argument is getting old and this person asked for recipes so I'll give you some more.
How about this, sauted green beans with shatake mushrooms.
par cook beans 1 minute, spot dry
saute garlic & shallet
ad shrooms & beans saute 1 minute
ad some dry white wine
basel, S&P
serve

[This message has been edited by Chef David Simpson (edited October 21, 2000).]

 

[cape chef]

Ok Nicko, If you insist.
I will stand by my word and my own experence.
I ask you to take to saute pans, both with boiling water, to one add a teaspoon of kosher salt and to the other add some lemon juice. Blanch some fresh green beans for three minutes and see if you notice a difference. once again acid works to maintain many fruits and vegetables color,apples, pears ect.as for the chicken base and butter would you really serve such a thing?
sounds like someone who doe's not respect the true flavor of food. mass production or not

 

[nicko]

Adding lemon juice to the water when you blanch off green vegetables is pretty common. The acid effects the alkaline and it helps to keep the green color. One chef I worked for used to add baking soda to the water. I always felt it was an unnecessary step if you cooked the green beans properly. Incidentally the same chef who used to add baking soda to the cooking water for green beans also you to saute them with whole butter and chicken base. Sounds weird I am sure but the guy used to get tons of compliments on his green beans. All he did was take a huge pat of butter, a small scoop of high quality chicken base, mash them together, and the saute the beans with this. Hate to admit it but the beans did taste great for a buffet item.

------------------
Thanks,

Nicko
[email protected]

 

[chef david simpson]

THREE MINUTES!!!!!!! THAT WOULD TURN ANY VEG BROWN!! I was talking about one minute to 45 seconds.

[This message has been edited by Chef David Simpson (edited 10-27-2000).]

 

[chef mark hayes]

Hey, Everbody Just Chill!

Don't forget that part of being a chef is showing PASSION in what you do and stand for.
Now; We, as chefs, also need to realize that it is not what we say, as much as it is how we say it. Can't we all get along?

Anyway, I was almost kicked out of a kitchen once by a french chef who saw me pan-steaming some green beans (I was in the weeds and didn't have time to leave my station to go to the steamer). He said "Vat is dis, You cannot saute wid waterr!" He Couldn't understand the concept. About a week later he had a nervous breakdown!

[This message has been edited by Chef Mark Hayes (edited 10-28-2000).]