I found 8 tiny, perfectly ready green beans ready to pick in my garden the other day. I had picked at least a couple of pounds of green beans this summer. The 6 vines that we planted in June are now a giant mass of twisted vines...weaving in and out of whatever they can grab onto. I recently learned that the younger the better when it comes to harvesting the green bean. I never really managed to pick them when they should've been picked, which meant tough stringy beans...not so good. But on this day, as I was out watering, crouched down low with my face in the tomatoes and basil, (they just smelled so good!) I looked up and spied 8 little green beans all in a row on one vine. I sat there just for a minute or two, trying to think how I could use these perfect little beans. What I came up with was as simple and down to earth as you can possibly get (in my opinion). It was a perfect lunch for me...healthy, colorful and delicious. I'm sure there might have been other perfect little green beans hiding somewhere in that tangle of delicate vines and beautifully shaped leaves, but sometimes you just have to go with what's in front of you, a good lesson as a cook and life in general.
- So, take a handful of green beans (fresh is best) trim, then throw them into a pot of salted boiling water for 1-2 minute (depends on how much crunch you like)...put them right into ice water to stop the cooking
- A beautiful ripe heirloom tomato was also picked that morning, chopped it up, put it in a bowl with a few leaves of chopped basil, salt and pepper...let it sit for an hour or so
- Out came the 4 roasted fingerling potatoes from dinner the night before... they are buttery and creamy, yum...slice them up!
- Nothing's better than sweet cherry tomatoes...I eat them like candy, so in they went
- I love cheese...any type, from any country...I chose feta, it would add creaminess and loads of flavor
- Into a bowl everything goes...Chopped or sliced... A vinaigrette of olive oil, salt and pepper and the juice from the tomato/basil mix...A combination of crunch, creamy, smooth, cool...The flavor that says the very best of summer.
I found 8 tiny, perfectly ready green beans ready to pick in my garden the other day. I had picked at least a couple of pounds of green beans this summer. The 6 vines that we planted in June are now a giant mass of twisted vines...weaving in and out of whatever they can grab onto. I recently learned that the younger the better when it comes to harvesting the green bean. I never really managed to pick them when they should've been picked, which meant tough stringy beans...not so good. But on this day, as I was out watering, crouched down low with my face in the tomatoes and basil, (they just smelled so good!) I looked up and spied 8 little green beans all in a row on one vine. I sat there just for a minute or two, trying to think how I could use these perfect little beans. What I came up with was as simple and down to earth as you can possibly get (in my opinion). It was a perfect lunch for me...healthy, colorful and delicious. I'm sure there might have been other perfect little green beans hiding somewhere in that tangle of delicate vines and beautifully shaped leaves, but sometimes you just have to go with what's in front of you, a good lesson as a cook and life in general.
Oh how you make food look so darn pretty! Even people that HATE green beans (and it is not me) would be tempted. I know a person that was forced to eat green beans as a little child and to this day it is a NO go. Thanks for your great posts, I look forward to them.
ReplyDeleteJane suggested I follow your blog, and I am glad I looked in. I enjoy your stories; they are familiar, gentle.
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