Sautéed Green Beans with Parmesan Cheese
It was last June when I made this recipe knowing that the green beans I found in the market in January would be dismal. I picked up a pound of freshly-picked beans at the local farmer’s market and went to town. These beans had traveled less than 20 minutes to get to my table.
I think that this was one of the easiest recipes I’ve attempted so far in the challenge. All one needed to do was snap off the ‘tails’ of the beans, cook them in water, and then sauté the cooked beans in butter. Dump (such a refined and glorious culinary term) on 1/4 cup of fresh parmigiano-reggiano and you ready to serve.
Of course this was wonderful – beans, butter, cheese . . . how could it not be?
Note to others – when you’re attempting a simple recipe like this you will need to use the best ingredients you have – with so few ingredients a poor quality item will stand out and turn the beauty of this dish to a veritable nasty beast.
No one wants that. Put away that horrid green can of ‘grated parmesan cheese product’. No. Don’t put it away – THROW IT OUT!
Now.
Fresh beans – picked as soon as you can prior to cooking. Use the best butter you have. Grate some REAL parmigiano-reggiano on top – remember, if it is made ANYWHERE but the Parma area of Italy it ain’t real and you won’t be thrilled with the results. Real freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano practically melts on your tongue like a big ol’ fluffy snowflake. Treat yourself – hold out for the real stuff.
These green beans look great. Just the way I’d like to eat them…while they’re still green. Marcella suggests starting to taste at 6 minutes..and then 10-12 minutes for a finish depending on the age of the bean. But, I’ll tell you after living in Tuscany for the last 6 years that by the time the beans are cooked to satisfaction they aren’t green anymore and you know what color that is.
I know Marcella is insistent about well cooked vegetables but being from the States I like that al dente green bean. I’ve gotten used to eating my green beans “well cooked” (and with both ends snapped). If they aren’t cooked enough I’m told by my resident Tuscan that they are “hard”.
I still love my green beans GREEN.
This looks great Jerry.
I’m with Marcella. I think crunchy green beans taste like grass. I use plenty of salt in the boiling water and the beans stay nice and green.
Susie, I am glad you remember the green bean lesson. A handful of salt in boiling water and the beans – as well as broccoli, spinach, and other green vegetables – come out emerald green. Undercooking green beans is one of the currently trendy atrocities that restaurants, and the home cooks who ape them, are perpetrating. It comes down to a question of flavor, do you eat for crunch or do you eat for flavor?