We keep what’s precious stashed away safely, in boxes and cases, chests and trunks. Plants do, too. In the case of beans, peas, and okra, this means enclosing and protecting their precious seeds in little capsules until the time is right for them to be sent forth into the future. Edible pods and their contents, known collectively as legumes, have been part of human agriculture since the earliest days—and continue to be a significant aspect of diets the world over. Because it turns out that those same seeds in which the plant has invested its hope and nourishment for the next generation are full of good things for our bodies, too.
Unlike most plants grown for food, which have just a single phase of ripe edibility, legumes have been cultivated to be eaten at every stage of maturity. This is true whether they grow on bushes or vines (or poles). Some varieties are harvested when the shells are sweet and tender and the seeds barely formed (as with snow peas, okra, and green beans), others when the seeds are fully grown but still delicate, and the pods coarse (as with English peas, edamame, and fava beans). Still others come to market dried hard as pebbles. One phase American cooks are less familiar with is the fresh-shelled one, when the husks turn papery around the seeds, which are mature but not yet dried. These beans and peas are a buttery, nutty revelation—and just one more treasure to be found nestled inside a pod.
SEASONALITY
Fava bean pods are lined with a velvety fuzz, which must help keep the beans warm as they germinate and grow in winter. By early spring, they’re ready to eat; look for favas in late April and May. English peas, sugar snap peas, and snow peas follow close on their tails; you’ll find them throughout spring and early summer. Green beans and okra are warm-weather plants, and are harvested throughout the summer. Shell beans, like cranberry and lima, turn up in greenmarkets just as summer moves to fall. Once their season has passed, dried beans are a fine substitute. Be sure to buy them from a shop with a high turnover (preferably sold in bulk) or directly from specialty sources such as Rancho Gordo or Zürsun Idaho Heirloom Beans.
BUYING
Look for green beans and fresh peas of all sorts that are a bright green with no yellowing (unless you are buying wax beans), and make sure the shells are tender. Green beans and snow peas should never feel leathery or hollow, and the seeds should be small and fully embedded in the pod’s interior, rather than rattling around. English peas, fava beans, and other fresh shelling beans should bulge slightly within their pods—neither too big nor too small. Because these vegetables begin to lose freshness the moment they are harvested, buy them as recently picked as you can—at a farmstand or greenmarket. Okra should be velvety and vivid in color.
NOTABLE VARIETIES
Green and wax beans: Green beans, including purple-colored varieties and yellow wax beans, are the most common of the bush or pole beans. Haricots verts are also a familiar option, while Romano beans are among the more common heirloom varieties. It’s worth seeking out purple varieties, such as Royal Burgundy or purple Romano beans, for serving raw, and also for their distinctive flavors.
Shell beans: Those dried beans in your pantry started out as shell beans, which you can buy in their pods during their brief season. Fresh ones have an incomparably creamy texture, don’t need to be soaked prior to cooking, and cook more quickly than dried. Among the most widely available are mottled cranberry beans, edamame, and lima beans. Also, keep your eye out for heirloom varieties (and their descriptive names): Jacob’s Cattle, scarlet runner, Pink Half-Runner, Black Calypso, borlotti, and Tongues of Fire, to name a few chefs’ favorites.
STORING
Refrigerate pods, loosely wrapped in a plastic bag—but not for long. Tender, fresh green beans and peas are the most ephemeral of vegetables. That’s because their shells are designed to transfer moisture and sugars into the seeds, which are themselves working on transforming the sugars into starch—processes designed to benefit future generations of the plant, but not cooks or eaters. Fresh shell beans can be stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator for up to three days.
With green beans, snap peas, and snow peas, trim only the stem end and not the tapered—and delectable—tip. It’s the same with sugar snap and snow peas. When shelling English peas, edamame, and shell beans, twist the pod gently to crack it open and release the tasty contents. One pound of pods equals about a cup of peas and beans. (We find frozen peas to be a fine substitute for fresh; thaw them quickly in a colander under running tepid tap water.) Fava bean pods can be similarly opened, but the seeds require a further step before becoming edible: Blanch them for a minute in boiling water, plunge them into an ice bath, then peel off the milk-white membrane encasing each one. (Unless, of course, you grill them.) Okra pods are covered in a fuzz that can become prickly with age; wrap several at time in a kitchen towel, and rub gently to remove fuzz before cooking.
COOKING
If you’ve ever tasted a sugar snap pea or green bean plucked straight from the vine, you know that the best legumes need never see the inside of a kitchen. But since most vegetables travel to reach our tables, cooking them is in order. Usually, all they need is a quick dip in rapidly boiling, salted water—but “quick” can be anywhere from one to seven minutes depending on age and variety, so sample as you cook, then drain and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking and brighten their color. Okra, traditionally used to thicken stews, tastes wonderful battered and fried. And okra, along with green beans, is a classic for pickling.
HOW TO STEAM
(For all pods except shell beans)
Remove English peas and fava beans from the pods and peel favas; trim green beans, okra, and snap and snow peas. Place in a steamer basket (or colander) set in a pot filled with 1 inch of water; bring to a boil. Cover and steam until pods are tender and color brightens, 2 to 7 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, and squeeze a halved lemon over the top.
HOW TO BRAISE
(For fava beans, green beans, okra, shell beans)
Remove fava and shell beans from pods and peel favas; trim green beans and okra. Heat olive oil or butter in a skillet over medium high, then cook finely chopped onion and minced garlic until softened. Add vegetables and season with salt and pepper, then add enough liquid (chicken or vegetable broth, supplemented with a splash of wine or vinegar if desired) to cover by 1 inch along with a bay leaf. Simmer, with pan partially covered, until tender and liquid has thickened, 8 to 10 minutes for fava, okra, and green beans, 30 minutes for shell. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, such as parsley or thyme, and shaved cheese such as Pecorino Romano (spike okra with hot-pepper sauce).
HOW TO ROAST
(For green beans and okra)
Trim green beans and okra. Drizzle with olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet, and season with salt and pepper. You can also add some whole peeled garlic cloves or thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger. Toss to combine and spread evenly. Roast at 400°F until tender and browned in spots, tossing halfway through, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh mint or cilantro.
(For all pods except English peas and shell beans)
Trim green beans, okra, and snap and snow peas. Grill vegetables in a vegetable grilling pan or threaded on skewers (to keep them from slipping through the grates) until charred in spots, 2 to 7 minutes, turning as needed.
HOW TO BLANCH
(For all pods except shell beans)
Remove English peas and fava beans from the pods, and peel favas; trim green beans, okra and snap and snow peas. Bring vegetables and enough water to cover to a boil in a pot; add salt and boil until vegetables are tender, 2 to 5 minutes. Drain and season while warm; or plunge into an ice-water bath to stop the cooking, then drain again.
HOW TO SIMMER
(For shell beans)
Remove beans from the pods. Place beans in a pot with enough water to cover by 4 inches. Season generously with salt, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender and creamy, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on type of bean. Drain well. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with chopped parsley or thyme, and season with red-pepper flakes or top with grated or shaved Parmesan cheese.
FLAVOR PAIRINGS
Toss cooked young beans and peas with butter and a pinch of salt, adding gently torn herbs like mint or marjoram if you like—these springtime babies need little to taste sublime. And the buttery, nutty, or earthy flavors of shell beans can stand up to bold late-summer ingredients and rich fall flavors, including hearty greens.
EDAMAME: garlic, ginger, chili peppers, orange zest, soy sauce, tomatoes, corn
ENGLISH PEAS: mint, parsley, butter, bacon, onions, cream, lettuce
FAVA BEANS: olive oil, olives, basil, parsley, sheeps’-milk cheeses, peas, lamb
GREEN BEANS: basil, tomatoes, parsley, lemon zest, ginger, garlic, thyme
OKRA: tomatoes, vinegar, corn meal, bell peppers, shrimp
SHELL BEANS: garlic, sausage, bitter greens, Parmesan, rosemary, tomatoes
SNAP PEAS: dill, carrots, ginger, basil, lemon, chiles, garlic
SNOW PEAS: sesame, peanuts, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, bell peppers
Blanched Sugar Snap Peas, Three Ways
Green-Pea Burgers with Harissa Mayo
Cranberry Bean Salad with Delicata Squash and Broccoli Rabe
Skillet Edamame, Corn, and Tomatoes with Basil Oil
Roasted Wax Beans with Peanuts and Cilantro
Green Bean, Shell Bean, and Sweet Onion Fattoush
White Beans with Dandelion Greens and Crostini
Green Bean and Watercress Salad
Blanched Sugar Snap Peas, Three Ways
Fresh from the garden or farmstand, sugar snap peas are tender and sweet enough to eat raw, as a snack or with dips as crudités. They’re also delicious blanched, which leaves the flavor intact as it brightens the color. We like to serve sugar snaps with simple sauces, made with the pod’s favorite flavors: fresh herbs and lemon.
SERVES 4
Coarse salt
1 pound sugar snap peas
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook snap peas until crisp-tender and bright green, about 2 minutes. Drain and toss with desired sauce.
1
DILL BUTTER
Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and stir in ¼ cup chopped fresh dill. Toss with warm peas.
2
PESTO
Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon coarse salt over 1 peeled garlic clove on a cutting board, then coarsely chop; using a flat side of the knife, crush into a thick paste. Transfer to a food processor; add ¼ cup toasted pine nuts (or walnuts), 3 cups packed fresh basil leaves, and 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Pulse until finely chopped. With machine running, add ½ cup more oil in a slow, steady stream, until combined. Add ¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and pulse to combine. Season with salt and pepper. (Pesto can be stored in an airtight container, with a layer of olive oil on top, up to 1 week in the refrigerator.) Toss with warm peas.
3
LEMON-CILANTRO
Toast 2 tablespoons coriander seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking pan frequently, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool, then lightly crush with the flat side of a chef’s knife. Combine with strips of zest of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (unseasoned), and ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro. Toss with warm peas.
TIP
You can use any of these sauces with snow peas. Blanch as directed above.
One of our favorite ways to showcase fresh peas is in this traditional Venetian dish (“rice and peas”). Prepared properly, it’s slightly soupier than risotto, and according to culinary lore, it is supposed to contain one pea for every grain of rice—meaning the dish is just as much about the peas as the rice. That’s just the way we like it, topped with grated lemon zest and freshly grated Parmesan.
SERVES 4
1 cup shelled green peas (from 1 pound in pods), or 1 cup thawed frozen peas
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more zest for serving
½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1. Blanch fresh peas in a pot of salted boiling water until just tender and bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to an ice-water bath and let cool completely. Drain. (If using frozen peas, skip this step.)
2. Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan; cover to keep warm.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium in another saucepan. Cook onion, stirring frequently, until soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Add rice, cook, stirring, until edges are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring, just until evaporated.
4. Add ½ cup hot broth; cook, stirring, until almost absorbed. Continue adding ½ cup broth in this manner until liquid is creamy and rice is al dente, about 20 minutes total (you may not need to add all the broth). Add peas about 1 minute before risotto is finished cooking.
5. Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest and juice, parsley, cheese, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, topped with more cheese and lemon zest.
Green-Pea Burgers with Harissa Mayo
Because their season is so fleeting, it makes sense to have a number of ways in which to enjoy fresh garden peas, especially one or two unexpected options. Peas not only lend bright-green vegetable burgers a lovely flavor (and color), they also help keep them moist. These pack a lot of protein (here aided by a half cup of chickpeas). Serve the burgers on brioche rolls with baby greens, cucumber slices, and harissa-spiked mayonnaise.
SERVES 4
1 cup shelled green peas (from 1 pound in pods), or 1 cup thawed frozen peas
Coarse salt
½ cup cooked chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
½ small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 large egg, whisked
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (from 3 to 4 slices white bread)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons harissa
4 brioche rolls, split and toasted
1 cup mixed baby greens
½ English cucumber, cut into thin rounds
1. Blanch fresh peas in a pot of salted boiling water until just tender and bright, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to an ice-water bath, and let cool completely. Drain. (If using frozen peas, skip this step.)
2. In a food processor, pulse peas and chickpeas until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and stir in onion, parsley, egg, and breadcrumbs. Season with salt. Form into four patties, each about ¾ inch thick.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Cook burgers until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes per side.
4. Stir together mayonnaise and harissa in a small bowl until combined. Spread on brioche rolls. Divide the burgers, baby greens, and cucumber among rolls; serve.
Cranberry Bean Salad with Delicata Squash and Broccoli Rabe
Simmered cranberry beans—also called Roman beans, with a flavor similar to chestnuts—are the foundation of this hearty fall salad that includes roasted delicata squash, sautéed broccoli rabe, and crumbled bacon. It makes a delicious side dish for a family-style meal. Skip the bacon and you have a wonderful vegetarian main dish.
SERVES 6
1 medium onion
1 dried bay leaf
4 or 5 whole black peppercorns
2½ pounds fresh cranberry beans, shelled (about 3 cups)
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small delicata squash (about 1¾ pounds), cut into ½-inch-thick slices
4 slices bacon (4 ounces)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch broccoli rabe, washed and trimmed (about 1 pound)
1. Using a sharp knife, slice off stem end of onion, and score shallow slits all over, making sure onion stays intact. Place in a large saucepan with the bay leaf and the peppercorns; fill with 3 quarts water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Add beans; simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid. In a bowl, toss beans with 1 tablespoon each oil and cooking liquid; season with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange squash on a rimmed baking sheet, brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
3. While squash is roasting, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Wipe skillet clean.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in the same skillet over medium. Add garlic, and sauté until just golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add broccoli rabe; sauté until wilted and heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add beans and squash to skillet, and cook just until heated through. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon of oil, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle reserved bacon on top and serve.
Skillet Edamame, Corn, and Tomatoes with Basil Oil
Pop edamame out of their pods, and use as you would garden peas, lima beans, or fava beans. They replace limas in this update on succotash, a classic summertime side dish.
SERVES 4 TO 6
1 cup fresh basil leaves
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt
4 scallions, finely sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3¼ cups corn kernels
⅔ cup shelled edamame (thawed, if frozen)
½ pound cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1. Blanch basil in a small pot of boiling water for 10 seconds. Transfer to an ice-water bath until cool, then drain and squeeze dry. Purée basil, ¼ cup oil, and ½ teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor until smooth.
2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add scallions and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add corn and edamame, and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until corn starts to caramelize, about 10 minutes (reduce heat if overbrowning). Add tomatoes (halved, if large) and vinegar; cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes start to collapse, about 8 minutes. Drizzle basil oil on vegetables, stir to combine, and serve.
Roasted Wax Beans with Peanuts and Cilantro
Roasting beans until tender and caramelized brings out their sweetness. Try them as a snack, or in this side dish, tossed with a savory sweet sauce, peanuts, and cilantro.
SERVES 4
1 pound wax beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon safflower oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
¼ teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
¾teaspoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon light-brown sugar
¼ cup unsalted peanuts
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss together wax beans and oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until browned in spots and tender, tossing halfway through, about 15 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, ginger, lemon juice, and sugar. Add roasted beans, peanuts, and cilantro. Toss to combine and serve.
Green Bean, Shell Bean, and Sweet Onion Fattoush
In late summer, fresh green beans and shell beans make a wonderful pair, one sharp and crisp-tender, the other buttery and plump. They’re the beginnings of our version of fattoush, a Middle Eastern bread salad that’s a fine way to enjoy summer produce. You can blanch the beans in the same pot: first the green beans, and then the shell (and not the other way around, since shell beans release a lot of starch).
SERVES 4
2 lemons, 1 zested and both juiced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
½ pound haricots verts, trimmed
¾ cup shelled fresh shell beans, such as limas
3 pita breads (6-inch)
½ large Vidalia onion, coarsely chopped
1 English cucumber, quartered and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish
⅓ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1. Whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, and garlic, and season with salt. Whisking constantly, pour in oil in a slow, steady stream and whisk until emulsified. Season with pepper. Let stand 15 minutes; discard garlic.
2. Blanch haricots verts in a pot of salted boiling water until crisp-tender and bright green, about 1 minute. Transfer beans to an ice-water bath (reserve pot of water); let cool, then remove and pat dry. Place in a large bowl.
3. Return water to a boil. Blanch shell beans until just tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to ice bath; let cool, then drain in a colander and pat dry. Combine with haricots verts.
4. Heat a grill (or grill pan) to medium. Split each pita in half. Brush both sides of pita halves with oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill pita, turning once, until golden and crisp, about 1 minute per side. Let cool, then tear into 1-inch pieces.
5. Add onion, cucumber, feta, herbs, and pita to the beans; drizzle with ½ cup vinaigrette; toss well to combine. Season with salt and pepper; garnish with mint. Let stand at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour before serving.
TIP
The pita is charred on the grill (or under the broiler) to make it sturdy enough to soak up the vinaigrette without falling apart. The longer the salad sits before serving (up to an hour), the better the flavors and textures will be.
White Beans with Dandelion Greens and Crostini
Many a delicious meal can be built around fresh shell beans. The Italians are masters of this art, cooking the beans with simple seasonings and then serving them with wilted greens and grated cheese on top. Serve with toasted bread, mashing some of the beans on top as you go.
SERVES 4
1 pound fresh cannellini beans, shelled (about 1¼ cups)
6 garlic cloves, 5 left whole and 1 minced
½ cup and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
¼ cup fresh thyme leaves
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 bunch dandelion greens, tough stems trimmed
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Crostini, for serving
Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
Fresh basil, for serving
1. Combine beans, whole garlic cloves, ½ cup oil, and thyme in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Season with salt, and continue cooking 5 more minutes. Let cool completely in cooking liquid, then drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium high. Add minced garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add dandelion greens, and cook, tossing, just until wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper, and add vinegar.
3. Serve beans with dandelion greens and crostini. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with cheese, and top with basil.
TIP
Leftover beans can be frozen, in an airtight container, for up to three months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Generally speaking, fava beans have to be shelled and skinned, a time-consuming (but rewarding) process. Here’s a wonderful shortcut: You can simply grill them in their pods, then pop out the beans, no peeling required. Serve them with a minty herb sauce, and sprinkle more mint and fresh lemon juice over the top.
SERVES 4
1 pound fava beans (still in pods)
1 cup finely chopped fresh mint, plus more for serving
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Juice of ½ lemon, plus wedges for serving
1. Heat grill to high. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. Grill favas directly on grates, turning, until charred, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, stir together mint and oil in a small bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
3. To serve, sprinkle favas with lemon juice and more mint, and season with salt. Serve with herb sauce and lemon wedges on the side.
Simmering fava beans with chicken broth and a little heavy cream makes a delectable accompaniment for pan-seared, poached, or grilled chicken breast, as shown here. This takes just long enough for the favas to become crisp-tender and for the liquids to reduce slightly to form a sauce.
SERVES 4
1 pound fava beans, shelled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 leek (white and pale-green parts only), thinly sliced, rinsed well
¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Prepare an ice-water bath. Blanch fava beans in a pot of boiling water until bright green, about 1 minute. Transfer to ice-water bath using a slotted spoon. Let cool, then slip beans from skins (discard skins).
2. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium high. Sauté leek until softened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add favas and broth; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in cream, and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper when ready to serve.
As their name suggests, these peas literally snap when broken, thanks to their firmness. That’s why they’re often used in stir-fries, in which case they are cooked lightning fast, just until crisp and bright (they’ll lose that snap if cooked too long). Thinly sliced steak is also a good choice for stir-frying, as it browns quickly in a hot pan. Here, scallions, fresh ginger, red-pepper flakes, and lime juice round out the flavors.
SERVES 4
1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced crosswise, halved if long
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons safflower oil
12 ounces snap peas
5 to 6 scallions, white and green parts separated, both thinly sliced on the bias
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
¼ to ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
¾ cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
White or brown rice, or rice noodles, for serving
1. Place steak in a bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch, and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. In a large wok or skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Cook half the steak until browned on one side, 1 to 2 minutes (steak will cook further in step 2); transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining beef.
2. Add snap peas, white parts of scallions, ginger, red-pepper flakes, and the water to wok; season with salt and pepper. Cook until snap peas turn crisp-tender and bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Return steak to wok and cook until cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, mix in green part of scallions and the lime juice, and serve over rice or noodles.
Green Bean and Watercress Salad
Consider this an upgrade on the beloved green-bean casserole, one in which the flavor of the pods really shines through. Crisp, golden fried shallots are sprinkled on top.
SERVES 8
1 pound green beans, trimmed
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup safflower oil
3 shallots, thinly sliced crosswise into rings
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch watercress, tough stems trimmed
1. Blanch green beans in a large pot of salted boiling water until crisp-tender and bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to an ice-water bath to cool. Drain and pat dry.
2. Heat safflower oil over medium low in a small saucepan until shimmering. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss shallots with flour. Working in batches, fry shallots in oil until brown and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer shallots to paper towels with a slotted spoon or mesh spider and season generously with salt.
3. Whisk together lemon juice, mustard, and olive oil in another bowl; season with salt and pepper. Place watercress on a serving platter, and drizzle with half the dressing. Top with green beans and remaining dressing. Serve sprinkled with fried shallots.
Tempura Green Beans
Green beans make excellent candidates for tempura, since you get a nice contrast of light, puffy crust and tender beans that retain some of their trademark crispness.
SERVES 4
1¼ cups Dijon mustard
⅛ teaspoon dry mustard
4 teaspoons hot sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
¾ cup honey
Grapeseed or safflower oil
4 large egg whites
3 cups all-purpose flour
2¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons club soda or seltzer (from a new bottle)
1 pound green beans, trimmed
Coarse salt
1. Heat mustards, hot sauce, soy sauce, and honey in a pan over low, whisking, until smooth and heated through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; let cool.
2. Heat 4 inches of oil in a large pot over medium high until oil reaches 350°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Meanwhile, whisk egg whites to soft peaks. Whisk in flour and club soda just until combined, with lumps remaining.
3. Working in batches, dip beans into batter, letting any excess drip off, then carefully place in hot oil. Cook, stirring occasionally to keep beans from sticking together, until light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer beans to paper-towel-lined plate to drain; season with salt. Repeat with remaining beans, returning oil to 350°F between batches. Serve immediately, with dipping sauce.
Quick-Pickled Pods
Try quick-pickling when you have a bounty of peak-of-season summer crops; the vegetables maintain their bite while taking on the flavor of the seasonings. Here, wax beans, green beans, and okra are pickled with the same brine. If you’re unfamiliar with okra, pickling is a wonderful way to get to know (and love) this Southern staple.
MAKES 2 QUARTS
1 pound wax beans, green beans, or okra, trimmed
4 thyme sprigs
4 cups white-wine vinegar
2 cups sugar
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 cup water
1. Divide pods into two quart-size glass jars, arranging pods upright; place 2 thyme sprigs in each jar.
2. In a small saucepan, bring vinegar, sugar, garlic, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, peppercorns, and the water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
3. Pour cooled brine over beans or okra, leaving a ½-inch space at the top of each jar. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 days (and up to 2 months) before serving.