Fagiolini
Back when vegetables were seasonal, string beans were glorious proof that the increasingly warm weather outside wasn't merely a cruel joke played by a winter waiting in the wings to return with all its fury. It may come as a surprise to discover, however, that they, like peppers, tomatoes, and corn, are a gift of the Americas. They were, according to Bert Greene (in Greene on Greens, Workman Publishing Co, 1984), brought home by the Spaniards, who initially used them as ornamental plants because they found the bean pods tough, but very much liked the flowers. However, the story goes, some string beans fell into a pot of soup and the cook didn't notice them until it was too late to start anew, so he served them along with everything else, and... As they say, the rest is history: String beans spread rapidly throughout Europe, and are now one of the most popular vegetables throughout the Continent. And healthy, too: A cup (250 ml, or about 125 g) is about 30 calories, with lots of potassium (180 milligrams), a fair amount of calcium and phosphorous, and a huge amount of vitamin A.
Purchasing string beans: Like any other vegetable, they should be look and feel firm, and be blemish-free. Not as stiff as a stick, but fairly stiff, and if you break one it should snap sharply, with a spray of juice from the seam. Should they instead be soft or flaccid, they've been around too long and will prove disappointing. The other thing you want to avoid is beans that have obvious seed bumps pressing up through the pods: They were left too long on the vines. Instead, pick bean pods that are slender, and straight sided. Finally, select beans that are roughly the same thickness and length, as they will cook at a uniform rate.
Preparation: Though one occasionally still does come across string beans that have strings, which one removes by snapping off an end and pulling the string away with the end, most beans sold now are stringless, and all you need do to prepare them is trim the tips. If you are starting with frozen string beans (canned may be useful but are not as good), figure from here on.
Cooking times: though there are recipes that call for simmering string beans for an hour or more, this is frankly too much. Many recipes call for blanching beans to begin with and then reworking them. This is quite easy. Heat a pot of water, adding a teaspoon of salt per quart (liter) of water, which serves to preserve the green color of the beans in addition to seasoning them, and when it reaches a boil blanch the beans. Keep in mind that the more water you start with the faster it will resume boiling; for a crisp texture, figure a cooking time of about 2 minutes from the time the boil resumes, and for tenderer beans a little longer. Drain them, and you have blanched string beans. If you are in a rush and the beans are good, one very satisfying seasoning option is drizzling them with good extravirgin olive oil, a little lemon juice, and salt and pepper.
If you have five minutes, drain the beans, and then sauté them briefly in 6 tablespoons of olive oil, with 2 minced cloves of garlic; just before removing them from the fire stir in a small bunch of parsley, also minced, and season them to taste with salt and pepper. In terms of quantities, this will work with about 3 pounds of string beans.
IF YOU'RE LESS PRESSED FOR TIME, HERE ARE SOME OTHER IDEAS.
On Site:
Trenette col Pesto
Similar to
spaghetti al pesto, but with the addition of string beans and potatoes to the
pasta. Very nice, and healthy too.
Penne con Funghi e Fagiolini
A
tasty sauce with, mushrooms, green beans, and some tomato to give them body.
Verdurata di Farro
Farro &
Greens, a surprisingly easy to make and very fulfilling dish.
Fagiolini in Umido
Rich hearty
green beans that will work well as a side dish or with polenta as a main
course.
Bollito Misto di Verdure
Boiled
vegetables, served chilled with olive oil, are a surprisingly refreshing summer
side dish!
Fagiolini in Salsa
Though the recipe
calls for bulb fennel, a zesty egg sauce is the perfect foil for string beans
too.
Fiori di Zucchine Ripiene
Ligurian
zucchini flowers, stuffed with greens and potatoes.
Fagiolini Fritti
Fried string beans
are a tasty antipasto or side dish.
Fagiulini Spilusieddi
A variation on
blanched string beans, with a bread crumb sauce.
Fagiolini alla Genovese
The Ligurians
season their string beans with olive oil and anchovies. Tasty!
Facioletti a "Corallo," Cotti a
Crudo
Roman stewed string beans gain substance and zest from
white wine and hot pepper.
Fagiolini in Insalata
A quick,
refreshing summer string bean salad from Friuli Venezia Giulia. Good for a
picnic too!
Fagiolini e Tonno in Insalata
String
beans and tuna, seasoned with lemon juice: Profoundly refreshing.
Graziella's String Bean Stew, Lo Stufato Coi
Fagiolini della Graziella
Come warmer weather, this is one of
the finest uses for string beans I have come across.
Difficulty:
Easy
Elsewhere:
Lemon-Walnut
Green Beans
Simple, tasty beans from Peggy Towbridge, About's
Hone Cooking Guide
Green Beans Italian
Style
A garlicky version of stewed beans with tomatoes. Very
garlicky.
A Presto,
Kyle
Phillips
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