For Cyn in NY: CI hint for best way to boil green beans

M

marilynfl

Moderator
July-Aug 2019 Cooks Illustrated

Basically, it's boiling them in an intensive saline solution to...(imagine now a bunch of scientific cellular things that Harold McGee knows about. He tosses in the phrase "sodium ions displacing calcium ions..." as if the rest of us mere mortals knows what he's talking about. What a scientific snob. I think I'm in love with him.)

Bring 2 QT water to boil.

Add 1/4 C table salt

Add 1.5 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-2" pieces

Return water to boil.

Cook 5-8 minutes (bright green and tender)

Remove immediately to ice bath.

When cool, strain and remove excess water in salad spinner

Can be refrigerated in zip-lock bag for 2 days.

They also tested this method with asparagus, snap peas, broccoli and cauliflower florets. These only took 2-3 minutes.

Disappointingly, CI does NOT mention ANYTHING about freezing.

 
CI: Green Bean Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Feta

1.5 lb green beans
1/4 tsp table salt for seasoning (plus 1/4 C for blanching)
12 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 C olive oil
2 TBL chopped fresh mint
2 TBL chopped fresh parsley
1 TBL lemon juice
1/4 tsp pepper
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled (1/2 C)

Prep green beans with blanching method noted above.
When cold, toss with dressing ingredients. Sprinkle on feta

(serves 4-6).

 
I don't think this would do for freezing--they are more than blanched I think. BUT I

wonder if the answer is to blanch as is always suggested, spin dry after putting in ice water and then freezing on a baking sheet=IQF although probably not as a commercial freezer woud do. Then put in bags and probably preferably vac seal.
Commercially frozen haricots verts are delicious as are pole (Italian) beans IMO.

 
I tried a small test batch for taste and really like it. Forgot the salad spinner step, so just a

tad too damp.

Not planning on freezing them...cold salad.

 
Oh, yes, I know this was for flavor and immediate use. But it was the spin dry

that piqued my thought about the freezing part we were originally discussing.
And the freezing unblanched is in a single layer.
I hadn't read about unblanched!

 
Yes, this is my favourite bean recipe. Summer and winter. Wish I had room in my freezer for more

beans. Actually, any beans. I have to be sure the cat is out of the kitchen when I open the freezer door.

I salt mine heavily as well (beans, not the cat) but each time, I hearken back to my mother always oversalting cabbage and potatoes. Sigh...........that salt was impossible to eat.

 
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