Recipes
Beans
Bean Info – eat ‘em raw or cooked. If you have too many in any given week, simply blanch (briefly boil or steam) what you can’t use, cool them, and them pop them in freezer containers or bags and freeze. You’ll enjoy having a taste of summer in the winter! I prefer steaming beans, just 'til fork-tender. Try them roasted with a mix of veggies. We grow beans of different shapes and colors, but they can all be used the same way you'd use regular 'green beans'. Beans will get wimpy fairly quickly at room temperature, so store them in the fridge, preferably in a sealed container or plastic bag to help keep in moisture so they do not dehydrate.
Titles on this page, in order. Scroll down to find the recipe you're interested in:
Cashew Beans, Chinese-style Beans, Lemony Beans, Sweet Peppered Beans, Southern Stir-Fry Beans, Beans with Lemon Vinaigrette, Fresh Bean Salad
1/2 c coarsely chopped salted cashews
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp honey
1 lb fresh beans, blanched and drained
Cook cashews in butter over low heat about 5 minutes.
Add honey and cook 1 minute longer, stirring constantly.
Pour sauce over beans and toss until coated.
Chinese-style beans
1 lb fresh beans
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp peeled, minced ginger root
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp dark sesame oil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
Trim beans; place in vegetable steamer over boiling water; cover and steam 5 minutes. Drain and plunge into cold water; drain.
Treat large skillet with cooking spray. Add vegetable oil, and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 30 seconds.
Add beans; stir 5 minutes until heated through.
Whisk together water, soy sauce, cornstarch, brown sugar, sesame oil and red pepper. Add to beans. Cook 30 seconds, stirring, until heated through.
Lemony beans
1 pound fresh beans
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 or 2 shallots, or small bunch green onions, minced
Fresh lemon juice
Salt
Bring pot of salted water to boil. Add beans; cook 5 minutes. Drain and plunge beans into ice water to stop cooking; drain when cold.
Sauté shallots in butter and olive oil over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add beans to shallots mixture and sauté for a few minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with lemon juice, and season to taste with salt. Serve at once
Sweet peppered beans
2 medium red bell peppers
1/2 lb. fresh beans
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Ground black pepper, to taste
Wash and dry peppers. Place on greased baking sheet under broiler. Broil and turn peppers until skin gets black on all sides. Or, use tongs and hold over gas flame.
Wrap in kitchen towel and allow to cool to touch (or place in paper bag and close) at east 10 minutes. Peel off charred skin, remove stem and seed. Cut into short strips and set aside.
Snap stems from beans. Steam 3-4 minutes or until tender and still bright green. (Time may vary.) Place hot beans in serving bowl. Toss with red pepper strips and season with oil, salt, vinegar, and ground pepper. Serve at once.
Southern stir-fry beans
1 1/2 lb fresh beans, trimmed
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 c chopped pecans
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. Sauté garlic 1 minute.
Add beans; cover, reduce to medium-low and cook 8 minutes, until tender, stirring occasionally.
When beans are tender, add pecans and brown sugar; toss. Serve at once.
Beans with lemon vinaigrette
2 tsp minced fresh parsley
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp plain, unsweetened yogurt
2 tsp chopped chives or green onion with green top
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1/3 c canola oil
1 lb fresh beans, trimmed
1/2 c julienne-cut red pepper strips
Combine parsley, juice, yogurt, chives, salt, pepper, and oil in jar with tight-fitting lid. Shake
vigorously. Chill.
Blanch green beans 4 minutes; plunge in ice water to stop cooking. Drain.
Toss green beans and red peppers with vinaigrette.
Fresh Bean Salad
2 t. fresh dill
1/3 c. olive oil
2 t. white vinegar
½ T. balsamic vinegar
½ lb. beans (green, yellow, purple, whatever!), trimmed
Mix dill, oil, and vinegars
Cook beans until just tender, but still firm. Drain well and pour marinade over beans while they are still hot. Cover bowl and refrigerate.
Serve cold with garnishes of colorful sweet peppers, olives, and/or cherry tomatoes.