Green bean recipes: Three summer fresh ideas
Rustic ginger and mushroom soup
Prep 10 min
Total 25 min
Ingredients:
900-mL carton chicken broth
3 slices peeled fresh ginger
4 tsp hot chili-garlic sauce
6 fresh shiitake mushrooms or 227-g pkg
button mushrooms
2 large unpeeled potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold
1 pork tenderloin
500 g green beans, trimmed and cut in half
Directions:
1. Pour broth into a large saucepan and set over medium-high. Add ginger and chili-garlic sauce. If using shiitakes, discard stems, then slice. Cut potatoes into chunks and add to broth with mushrooms. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce heat to medium. Gently boil, covered, until potatoes are fork-tender, about 14 min.
2. Slice pork into thin strips. Add to broth along with green beans for the last 5 min of boiling. Stir often. Remove and discard ginger before serving. Serves 8.
Per serving: 140 calories, 14 g protein, 19 g carbs, 1 g fat, 2 g fibre, 477 mg sodium.
Dilled pickled green beans
Prep 5 min
Total 10 min
Ingredients:
500 g green beans, trimmed
fresh dill
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 cup sugar
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil beans for 4 min. Drain. Plunge into ice water until cold. Pat dry and pack into 2 500-mL Mason jars with sprigs of fresh dill.
2. Heat vinegar with sugar in a saucepan over medium-high until sugar dissolves. Pour into jars. Fasten jar lids. Refrigerate at least 12 hours before serving. Keep in fridge up to 10 days. Serves 4.
Per serving: 126 calories, 1 g protein, 3 g carbs, 1 g fibre, 33 mg sodium.
Four uses with pickled green beans:
Use as a garnish for spicy Caesars.
Chop and stir into a cold rice-noodle salad.
Add a dishful to a cheese and charcuterie board.
Serve alongside roast beef as a tangy side dish.
Balsamic green beans with pancetta
Prep 15 min
Total 20 min
Ingredients:
1 tsp butter or olive oil
3 thin slices pancetta, sliced into strips
2 small shallots, finely chopped
500 g green beans, trimmed
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
shavings of parmesan cheese (optional)
Directions:
1. Melt butter in a wide frying pan set over medium. Add pancetta and shallots. Stir often until meat is crisp,
3 to 5 min.
2. Boi a large saucepan of water over high. Add beans and cook until almost tender-crisp, 2 to 3 min. Drain thoroughly, then add to pancetta mixture in pan. Add salt and vinegar. Stir often until vinegar is absorbed, 1 min. Transfer to a platter. Garnish with parmesan shavings.
Make-ahead tip: After boiling beans, drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain. Pat dry with paper towels. Wrap and refrigerate. Slice shallots and pancetta, but don’t cook. Wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days. When ready to cook, continue with recipe. Serves 6
Per serving: 87 calories, 3 g protein, 7 g carbs, 6 g fat, 2 g fibre, 271 mg sodium.
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