Beans are a great option for a vegetable during any meal. They are easy to grow and here in Hawaii, we can grow them year round. If you do not have space for stakes, bush beans produce enough for a few meals.
The first beans originated in Peru and were brought to the Americas by migrating Indian tribes. Green beans have been harvested for more than 7,000 years.
In the late 19th century, botanist Calvin Keeney bred the string from the bean, formally called string beans. Today we call them green beans because there is not much string. There are only two types of beans, bush and pole beans, with more than 130 varieties differing in flavor, color and pod size.
Beans are great roasted, blanched, stir-fried, braised, boiled, grilled or pickled. Beans that we might see at the market are:
• Green beans are the most common variety available. They are harvested young before the seeds mature.
• Yellow wax beans have a mild nutty seed, a crisp shell and are stringless. I often make three-bean salad with this variety as they add a nice yellow color to the salad.
• Haricot vert, which means “green bean” in French, is thinner, slightly longer and picked young, which results in flavorful and tender beans with very small seeds. When I buy these beans, I immediately think of Nicoise salad.
My sister loves to grow Romano beans and buys the seeds from Burpee Seeds. They are flat, meaty, mild, stringless and very tender. It is a prolific producer, so just a short line of them could produce beans for several weeks. It is a pole bean.
Braised Romano Beans with Garlic and Tomatoes
Serves: 6-8
In a medium Dutch oven or other heavy duty pot, heat over medium heat until shimmering 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Add and cook, stirring occasionally until softened are translucent, 3 minutes, 1 cup very thinly sliced sweet onions.
Add and cooking until fragrant, 1 minute, 1/4 cup garlic, very thinly sliced lengthwise.
Add and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion and garlic just begin to brown, 3 minutes, 1 pound Romano beans, trimmed.
Add and raise the heat to high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pot is almost dry, 3/4 cup white wine.
Add, bring to boil, then reduce to a simmer:
2 (14.5-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon minced jarred hot cherry peppers
1 teaspoons kosher salt and more to taste
Break up larger tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to very low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, 60-75 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in one piece at a time, 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Season with salt to taste, transfer to a large bowl and serve.
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Chinese long beans are also known as snake beans, asparagus beans or yard-long beans and can grow up to 3 feet long. These beans have an intense bean flavor and pair well with miso.
Roasted Long Beans with Orange-Miso Butter
Serves: 6-8
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Put on a large rimmed baking sheet, toss together until well coated 1 1/2 pounds long beans, trimmed, 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Spread beans evenly on baking sheet, roast until just beginning to soften, 15 minutes. Toss and continue to roast until the beans are crisp-tender, 8 minutes more.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk until smooth and heated through, 3 minutes:
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons white miso
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
Remove from heat to cool slightly, 1 minute.
Put beans in a large bowl, and toss with the miso mixture until the beans are well coated. Tent with foil for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally. Transfer the beans to a serving platter, top with toasted sesame seeds and finely grated orange zest.
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This Lebanese lamb stew with green beans is easy to make.
Lubyibul-Lahm
(Lebanese Lamb Stew with Beans)
Serves: 4-6
In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, saute for 10 minutes:
1 pound lamb shoulder, cut into cubes
2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Stir in:
2 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Add:
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (6 ounces) can tomato paste
3 cans water (from tomato paste)
Simmer for one hour. Add and adjust heat and cook:
2 pounds green beans, cut into pieces or 3 (16-ounce) cans green beans
If using canned beans, add and cook for 15 minutes. If using fresh beans, cook until beans are tender, about 30 minutes.
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Barbecuing? This bean side dish is perfect when cooked with the rest of the meal on the grill!
Grilled Green Beans
Serves: 4
Preheat grill to medium-high, wipe grate with oil.
Toss together:
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
1/2 cup sliced shallots
1 tablespoon sliced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
Season with salt and black pepper to taste
Transfer green bean mixture to the center of a sheet of foil, fold up edges to make a packet and seal tightly. Grill for 6 minutes, flip and continue grilling until green beans are crisp-tender, about 6 minutes more. Carefully transfer green beans from packet to a bowl, toss with 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and minced lemon zest.
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.