# green bean seasonings



## kpollard_2000 (Sep 10, 2000)

What do you add to your green beans for seasoning? I use canned. My problem is I only like them when they're slow cooked for hours with ham seasonings. But for large buffets, I don't have time. any suggestions on flavorings?


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

fresh, lemon juice, butter, garlic

canned cream of shroom soup, canned onions, waterchestnuts, sour cream casserole


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## dlee (Sep 22, 2000)

I like my green beans alittle crunchy with butter salt and pepper. Sometimes, Also with carmelized onions and chopped onions.


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## mudbug (Dec 30, 1999)

Crunchy with asian spicy bean curd. Tried and true, always a hit, hands down winner! (And only 5 minutes to make!)


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

I also like them crunchy, but if I have to use canned in a pinch, I sprinkle a little Knorr's Aromat for vegetables on them. Hides the canned taste pretty well.


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## lynne (Oct 6, 2001)

(We always have crumbled bacon in the freezer)

Sweat onions, add bacon, pepper, beans and chopped tomato (canned or fresh). Cook for as long as you can but 10-15 minutes is fine. Lots of flavour for short time (and we always have the ingredients!!)


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## chef david simpson (Sep 25, 2000)

I like roasted ginger and sweet butter.

parcook for one minute ad lemon to the water for nice color, ice bath, use a towel to get as much of the water off as you can. 
saute roasted ginger in butter, ad beans, cook until tender.ad S&P to taste.
Takes about ten minutes.

[This message has been edited by Chef David Simpson (edited October 17, 2000).]


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## kpollard_2000 (Sep 10, 2000)

Shroomgirl, I'm also from the St. Louis area.
How much work are the fresh beans? Do you always receive high quality from a local distributer or do you rely on your produce supplier to get you the highest quality. I'm always afraid of getting a bad batch and creating more work for myself.


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

I am not one to disagree in publick with a peer, But I have to mention that adding lemon juice to blanching water for green vegetables will turn the veggies an off color it will not stabilize the green. always season your water with Kosher salt and thats it.Blanch and shock. and your greens will have a great color. Remember I am talking about green vegetables
Respectivly
Capechef


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## greg (Dec 8, 1999)

I was taught by a J&W chef-instructor that blanching green veg in salted water resulted in a spotty, mottled look. Has anyone else heard/seen this?


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## chef david simpson (Sep 25, 2000)

cape chef, I would like you to try the recipe first befor you dispute. putting lemon in the water was an idea that was given to me from a chef while I was at the James Beard Foundation. But thank you for the advice.


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## chef david simpson (Sep 25, 2000)

as for salt in the water. this is the classical way. it helps to limber and flavor the beans.

[This message has been edited by Chef David Simpson (edited October 18, 2000).]


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

I am a J&W Graduate 1980. as for your advice Greg I would challenge that teacher. Blanching in salted water is the most basic of technique. I have never come across spotted green vegetables due to salting the water.I was taught many years ago when apprenticing at Lutece about this fact.As I mentioned before in my post I am talking of green vegetables. Acid added to veggies in certain stages is a great way to highten flavor but not during a par boil. Chef simpson, again with respect your recipe asks for lemon added to the blanch to add color, as a colleque I respectivly disagree


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## greg (Dec 8, 1999)

Too late to argue it with Steve Nogle; I graduated in '95. Also had a pastry instructor tell us that alcohol evaporates completely if you bring it to the lower 170 degrees F. Just found out that it's not true. I'm thinking of asking for a little of my tuition back for every time I discover one of these errors!


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Green beans in St. Louis.....hmmmmm
well they vary alot...Schnucks is hit or miss
The farmers don't raise alot of them because they are not cost effective.....so I get them when I can.....Haricot Verte at Straubs isa pretty reliable source.


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## chef david simpson (Sep 25, 2000)

I love a good challenge, but the argument is getting old and this person asked for recipes so I'll give you some more.
How about this, sauted green beans with shatake mushrooms. 
par cook beans 1 minute, spot dry
saute garlic & shallet
ad shrooms & beans saute 1 minute 
ad some dry white wine 
basel, S&P
serve

[This message has been edited by Chef David Simpson (edited October 21, 2000).]


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

Ok Nicko, If you insist.
I will stand by my word and my own experence.
I ask you to take to saute pans, both with boiling water, to one add a teaspoon of kosher salt and to the other add some lemon juice. Blanch some fresh green beans for three minutes and see if you notice a difference. once again acid works to maintain many fruits and vegetables color,apples, pears ect.as for the chicken base and butter would you really serve such a thing?
sounds like someone who doe's not respect the true flavor of food. mass production or not


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

Adding lemon juice to the water when you blanch off green vegetables is pretty common. The acid effects the alkaline and it helps to keep the green color. One chef I worked for used to add baking soda to the water. I always felt it was an unnecessary step if you cooked the green beans properly. Incidentally the same chef who used to add baking soda to the cooking water for green beans also you to saute them with whole butter and chicken base. Sounds weird I am sure but the guy used to get tons of compliments on his green beans. All he did was take a huge pat of butter, a small scoop of high quality chicken base, mash them together, and the saute the beans with this. Hate to admit it but the beans did taste great for a buffet item.

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Thanks,

Nicko
[email protected]


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## chef david simpson (Sep 25, 2000)

THREE MINUTES!!!!!!! THAT WOULD TURN ANY VEG BROWN!! I was talking about one minute to 45 seconds.

[This message has been edited by Chef David Simpson (edited 10-27-2000).]


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## chef mark hayes (Aug 21, 2000)

Hey, Everbody Just Chill!

Don't forget that part of being a chef is showing PASSION in what you do and stand for.
Now; We, as chefs, also need to realize that it is not what we say, as much as it is how we say it. Can't we all get along?

Anyway, I was almost kicked out of a kitchen once by a french chef who saw me pan-steaming some green beans (I was in the weeds and didn't have time to leave my station to go to the steamer). He said "Vat is dis, You cannot saute wid waterr!" He Couldn't understand the concept. About a week later he had a nervous breakdown!

[This message has been edited by Chef Mark Hayes (edited 10-28-2000).]


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## chef david simpson (Sep 25, 2000)

cape chef, I'm sure you know what your talking about. But I am a Ahole and when I see someone challange my recipe, that it could'nt work or should'nt work it gets me a little P.O. so I'm sorry if your feelings got hurt, but did you ever stop to think you were doing the same to me. 
In all respect to you and to our profession. 
I apologize to you in sinsere hopes that you will forgive me for being condensending and rude. I am at times very passionate and other times I can be very, very arragant, about my food. But I will not stand down for what I beleive in, in any fashion. This is my character as a person and as a chef. I am not trying to be anything other then what I am.


Again, I apologize. 
sinserly and professional,
Chef David Simpson


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

David,

I appreciate your reply.I am also one who is passionate about my food.Like I said, I can tell you are talented have a great career ahead of you. It is always easy to pass the buck,but your reply was one of a mature person.I guess it is time to leave the green beans on there own.Have a good day.
Brad


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## chef david simpson (Sep 25, 2000)

Thank you, cape chef.


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

Chef Simpsom,
I am sure You are a talanted chef. And have many years in the Kitchen. I would like to say however that I notice sometimes the way you respond to people can be alittle condensending and rude. I aslso have had many years in the kitchen and have a solid education in culinary arts and managment. I pride my self to project a proactive a positive attitude to all my staff and peers, by your last reply And the way you Capitalized your responce gave me a feeling that perhaps you we're trying to send some kind of message, perhaps that I don't know what I'm saying, Or maybe you are just trying to be cool. Whatever your motive is for you to know, But as a veteren of this industry I would appreciate your respect as i,m sure you would enjoy the same.I am not one to harber a grudge and only wish you much success in your already fine career.
Sincerly
Brad


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## chef david simpson (Sep 25, 2000)

And now we move on to string beans!

"VAT IS DIS"!!!!
















[This message has been edited by Chef David Simpson (edited 10-30-2000).]


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## m brown (May 29, 1999)

All this fuss over green beans? We are not in Kansas anymore!

At home I like to take the fresh beans and sautee (pan roast) in whole butter, sea salt and pepper, get them toasty and consume. Lovely buttery beany with a bit of caramelized crust.............
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm










[This message has been edited by m brown (edited 10-30-2000).]


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

Cape,

The chef that showed me that trick was one of those guys that knew every short cut in the book. After leaving that place I never served those beans again, except that I did a different version. I made a very rich chicken stock and which I reduced way down to a glace (basically making a glace de volaille). I sauteed blanched green beans in whole butter, a little of the glace, and sea salt. The flavor was so much more robust and also a much cleaner taste as you can well imagine.

Cape, I started off in family places where using base was a way of life. It wasn't till later that I learned how much better food tastes without it.

------------------
Thanks,

Nicko
[email protected]


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## cookm (Aug 8, 2000)

Chefs,
I am glad everyone was able to *agree about disagreeing* and sit down at the table together. That's one of the things I like about our cafe. I personally would hate to lose anyone because I've learned so much from everyone here.
The discussion also made me remember something one of my wise English professors said. He said that good writing activates all the senses; you can smell, see, etc through the words. So with this electronic medium, I find that I am not always able to understand the emotions or reasonings behind someone's e-words, so I am always careful with my translations of it. 
Hope this makes sense.

Best wishes,
cookM


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## ruthy (Aug 18, 1999)

Canned beans??!! Yuk. I thought they had gone out with the dinosaurs. With the real thing salt water blanching followed by shocking is the only way to go.The blanching should be done in a very large pot so that the water does not stop boiling when you add the beans. After that they can be sautéed with mushrooms, shallots, or what about preserved lemon?


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## lynne (Oct 6, 2001)

Garlic, sesame oil, and soy.


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Ooh, yeah, Lynne, and maybe a shred or two of ginger.


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## kpollard_2000 (Sep 10, 2000)

When I'm serving 300-400 people I have to serve the canned. I guess this post belonged more in the catering post. That's why I'm having a problem. Canned beans are nasty. I worry about using fresh if I can't always get the good clean quality.


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## chef david simpson (Sep 25, 2000)

Why don't you use another vegatable other than greenbeans. I would never use greenbeans for a 400-500 dinner. That's alot of work for that many people. But if I had too, I would use fresh, never canned.


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## lynne (Oct 6, 2001)

If another veg is not an option for whatever reason; how 'bout frozen? Sysco's high end string beans are decent; can be lightly steamed and prepared in any of the above methods.

Good Luck!


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## lynne (Oct 6, 2001)

I think frozen is a much better option than canned...


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## kpollard_2000 (Sep 10, 2000)

Mofo, thanks for respectfully disagreeing. I think next time I'll try the frozen. Thanks everyone..You've been a big help..kim


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## cape chef (Jul 31, 2000)

thanks palmier


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## 648 (Aug 18, 2000)

This is an old country cook trick, but to make canned green beans taste like (almost fresh) I drain them first, and reserve the juice. I then saute them in bacon grease, turning them often. I keep a lid on them while cooking. Meanwhile I add a whole onion, or more if fixing a large quanity. Salt and pepper, and I add ham pieces to the mix. You add back a little of the liquid til it is to your liking. It really does taste fresh. This method is not low-calorie I'm afraid. But, tasty. PJ


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## dlee (Sep 22, 2000)

posted 11-11-2000 04:51 PM 
Hey! Why are so many chefs getting steamed over beans? 
---------------------------------------------

This is what makes this site so important. Something that seems so simple...gets people so passionate! This only shows the level and quality of people on this website. What a site! Gotta love it.....
D

[This message has been edited by Dlee (edited 11-12-2000).]


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