Tuesday, August 5, 2008

are you a green bean fan?

last week i told you about the weekly "parties" we are having with the gang at martha stewart's every day food blog..this week's topic is "green beans"...when i saw this topic, my first thought was.."oh no!! now what??..i am not known for my green bean recipes...what am i going to talk about?".. so i went to the local farmer's market to see what was available..and hopefully get inspired... as i wandered through the market i kept looking at all the produce and thinking about all the fantastic possible combinations using green beans... i realized that i actually eat green beans quite a lot..i just did not think of them as a major part of the meal..you know how eggplant, or zucchini, or potatoes or corn, or salads can sometimes be the main dish? well...here's to green beans taking center stage.


spicy green beans in asian chili sauce served with rice?... green beans and potato salad with feta?... roasted green beans, tomatoes and garlic with balsamic drizzle?... are you inspired yet? vegetarians...these can be main dishes on a hot summer night..(actually anytime)..non-vegetarians..add your favorite protein...this week it is time to celebrate green beans...
and remember..to fully participate in the party...please comment and add your favorite green bean recipes... and don't forget to check out the martha stewart, every day food blog and the
a way to garden site to view even more recipes..as well as tips for growing, purchasing and storing...
spicy green beans in asian chili sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb fresh green beans (any kind will work..i usually like the chinese long beans with this, but today i am using haricots verts because that was what they had at the farmer's market)1/2 white onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced fine
2 tbsp chili paste
1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes
1/4 c soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper
salt (if needed)

heat large skillet (or wok) over high heat until hot. add olive oil, green beans and onion and stir fry 4-6 minutes until beans are crisp tender..time will vary depending on thickness of beans.
stir in garlic, chili paste, red chili pepper, soy sauce and black pepper and cook an additional 1-2 minutes..taste and add salt if needed (the soy sauce and chili paste will usually add enough salt so taste before adding additional)
serve hot or at room temperature


green beans and potato salad with feta
1 1/2 lbs tiny new potatoes cut in halves or qtrs depending on size
1/2 lb fresh green beans ends trimmed and cut in half
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 sweet white onion, diced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tbsp chopped italian parsley
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp cider vinegar
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper


steam new potatoes until tender..remove from heat, drain and place in large bowl... steam the green beans until tender (about 4 minutes) and plunge in a bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking any further. drain and add to potatoes. add the bell pepper and onion to the bowl and combine.. add the feta and gently stir. in a mason jar, combine the olive oil, vinegar and parsley and shake jar..add salt and pepper to taste and shake again. pour dressing over salad and gently combine..allow to sit at room temperature for at least an hour to allow flavors to meld..serve at room temperature.
roasted green beans, tomatoes and garlic with balsamic drizzle
1 lb fresh green beans..ends trimmed and cut in half if you are using long beans
1/2 white onion sliced thin
6 cloves garlic peeled and cut into thin slices
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
1 tbsp italian parsley, chopped
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
balsamic reduction (recipe listed in zucchini blog post of 7.31)

preheat oven to 400 degrees. place green beans, onions, garlic and tomatoes on rimmed baking sheet. drizzle with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and use your hands to combine oil with produce to ensure everything is well coated. sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast in oven until tomatoes just begin to collapse and beans are tender when pricked with a sharp knife, about 15-18 minutes...do not over cook beans..


remove from oven and place in a mixing bowl..gently combine cooked produce.. add pine nuts, parsley, remaining tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper to taste..combine again. place on serving platter and drizzle a bit of the balsamic reduction over the top..serve


enjoy your "green bean party!!" and don't forget to let me know what you think of these recipes..and to share your own favorites..
best,
diane
napa farmhouse 1885
"live a green life of style"™

17 comments:

KKJD1 said...

yum! love green beans and all the recipes look delish! May have to try a new recipe soon. hope you have a great day. Blessings, Karen

Anonymous said...

These recipes sound really good. I am trying the roasted ones tonight and will let you know how they turn out. I usually burn everything but this recipes looks pretty easy. Your photos are beautiful.

DianaK said...

I love to cook fresh green beans, new potatoes, and ham that I cut into cubes. Add a bit of water, some garlic salt, pepper, let simmer all day...it's yummy!

Farmgirl Hugs!
Diana

Napa Farmhouse 1885 said...

hi karen..thanks for the comments..and i look forward to your recipes!

thanks gigi..and good luck with the recipe..i am confident that you will not burn this one...

diana..your recipe sounds really good..i imagine cooking all day gives tons of flavor as the ingredients will meld and intensify..yum! thanks for the post...

Anonymous said...

Yum! Your recipes sound (and look) delicious. I am making the spicy ones tomorrow for sure.

Rebecca/CUpS said...

Your green beans look wonderful! And those tomatoes =) Green beans grow so fast and furious (well, maybe not compared to summer squashes!), that having a few excellent new ideas on hand is always good. Thanks for sharing!

Brightmeadowfarms said...

Man, looks fantastic! I'm going to try that one with the balsamic vinegar.

I picked 5 bushels of green beans at our farm last week, bumper harvest I wasn't expecting, I froze them all, do you think I could still use them?

Anonymous said...

The only green beans I eat are in Green Bean Casserole at Thanksgiving but your recipes and pictures look/sound great!!! I don't really like tomatoes...do you think I can substitute ketchup?

Napa Farmhouse 1885 said...

thanks karla..and welcome..let me know how you liked the spicy green beans.

rebecca..i checked out your blog..very interesting..i look forward to watching some of your shows

Napa Farmhouse 1885 said...

hi bright meadow farms..and welcome..regarding your frozen beans..did you blanch them prior to freezing? if not, they should be ok added to a cooked dish..i would not thaw first..but steamed, or added to a sauce, soup, casserole, etc.. should still be delicious. please let me know how they turn out.

welcome princess...i think i would just leave out the tomatoes..and skip the ketchup..the beans should be really good on their own...

Anonymous said...

I made the green bean with tomatoes dish. It was really, really good and will become my go to green bean dish. I am looking forward to next week's dishes. Thanks for doing this.

Mark by Chocolate said...

Oh, yes, I am. I love green beans. You might consider blanching and then shocking the green beans before using them, especially when sauteing.

I use green beans ALL THE TIME. Except in the chocolates. ;-)

Mark by Chocolate said...

PS I miss Napa.

Anonymous said...

Wow. Such great ways to cook beans. I particularly love the Asian ones!

Hobson's Choice said...

Just found your blog on Food Buzz. Looks great! Looking forward to reading more.

Napa Farmhouse 1885 said...

hi kelly, mark, tom and hobson's choice..welcome! i appreciate the comments..and to mark, tom and hobson..i look forward to checking out your sites...
please visit often,
diane

Anonymous said...

These sound so yummy! I have more green beans than I know what to do with from my garden and now I know what to do with them!