Julia Child Un Par Un: Haricots Verts!! 🌞

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Haricot Verts

Green beans, snap beans, string beans, or whatever you wish to
call them, are of many varieties: some are ɻat, others are round, still
others are a mottled green rather than a uniform color. Most of
those on the market today are string-less. Whichever you buy, look
for beans which are clean, fresh-looking, ɹrm, and which snap
crisply and contain immature seeds. If possible, select beans all of
the same circumference so they will cook evenly. The smaller
around they are, the more they will approach tiny French beans; a
diameter of not more than ¼ inch is most desirable.
Fresh beans take time to prepare for cooking, but have so much
more ɻavor than frozen beans that they are well worth the trouble.
The cooking itself is easy; however, beans demand attention if they
are to be fresh-tasting, full of ɻavor, and green. Although their
preliminary blanching may be taken care of hours in advance, the
ɹnal touches should be done only at the last minute. It is fatal to
their color, texture, and taste if they are overcooked, or if they are
allowed to sit around over heat for more than a few minutes after
they are ready to be eaten.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Green beans will go with just about any meat dish, or may
constitute a separate vegetable course.

AMOUNT TO BUY

One pound of beans will serve 2 or 3 people depending on your
menu.

PREPARATION FOR COOKING

Snap the tip of one end of a bean with your ɹngers and draw it
down the length of one side of the bean to remove any possible
string. Do the same thing with the other end, pulling it down the
other side of the bean.

Beans of not much more than ¼ inch in diameter are cooked
whole, and retain their maximum ɻavor. If they are large in
circumference, you may slice them on the bias to make several 2½-
inch lengths per bean; this or machine slicing is usually called
Frenched beans though it is rarely done in France as it is seldom
necessary. Sliced beans never have the ɻavor of whole beans.
Wash the beans rapidly in very hot water the moment before
cooking.

****


HARICOTS VERTS BLANCHIS
[Blanched Green Beans—Preliminary Cooking]

Whatever recipe you choose for your beans, always give them a
preliminary blanching in a very large kettle of rapidly boiling salted
water. Depending on what you plan to do to them later, boil them
either until tender or until almost tender, and drain immediately.
This essential step in the French art of bean cookery always
produces a fine, fresh, green bean of perfect texture and favor.

For 6 to 8 people

3 lbs. green beans, trimmed and washed
A large kettle containing at least 7 to 8 quarts of rapidly
boiling water
1½ tsp salt per quart of water

A handful at a time, drop the beans into the rapidly boiling salted
water. Bring the water back to the boil as quickly as possible, and
boil the beans slowly, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes; test the
beans frequently after 8 minutes by eating one. A well cooked
bean should be tender, but still retain the slightest suggestion of
crunchiness. Drain the beans as soon as they are done.

For Immediate Serving

Turn the beans into a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and toss
them gently over moderately high heat by ɻipping the pan, not by
stirring them. This will evaporate their moisture in 2 to 3 minutes.
Then proceed with one of the following recipes.

For later

Serving or to Serve Cold

Run cold water over the beans for 3 to 4 minutes. This will stop
the cooking immediately and the beans will retain color, taste, and
texture. Drain, spread them out on a clean towel, and pat dry. The
beans may then be set aside in a colander, or put in a covered bowl
in the refrigerator where they will keep perfectly for 24 hours.

To Reheat:

Depending on your recipe, either drop the beans in a
large kettle of rapidly boiling, salted water, bring quickly again to
the boil, then drain immediately. Or toss the beans in a tablespoon
or two of hot butter or oil, season them, cover the pan, and let them
warm thoroughly for 3 to 4 minutes over moderate heat. Then
proceed with your recipe.

TWO RECIPES FOR BUTTERED GREEN BEANS

Buttered green beans go with almost anything, and particularly
roast or broiled lamb, beef, chicken, veal, and liver. They may also
be served as a separate course.


Haricots Verts à l’Anglaise
[Buttered Green Beans I]

For 6 to 8 people

3 lbs. hot, blanched green beans
A wide, heavy-bottomed, enameled saucepan or skillet
Salt and pepper
A hot serving dish
4 to 8 Tb butter, cut into pieces or formed into shells
Toss the hot beans in the saucepan or skillet over moderately high
heat to evaporate their moisture. Toss brieɻy again with salt and
pepper to taste. Turn them into the serving dish, distribute the
butter over them, and serve at once.

****


Haricots Verts à la Maître d’Hôtel
[Buttered Green Beans II — with Lemon Juice and Parsley]

For 6 to 8 people

3 lbs. hot, blanched green beans (preceding master recipe)
A wide, heavy-bottomed, enameled saucepan or skillet
Salt and pepper
6 to 8 Tb softened butter cut into 4 pieces
2 to 3 tsp lemon juice
A hot vegetable dish
3 Tb minced parsley

Toss the hot beans in the saucepan or skillet over moderately high
heat to evaporate their moisture. Toss brieɻy again with salt,
pepper and a piece of butter. Add the rest of the butter gradually
while tossing the beans; alternate with drops of lemon juice. Taste
for seasoning. Turn into the vegetable dish, sprinkle with parsley,
and serve immediately.

Serve creamed green beans with plain roast lamb, veal, or
chicken, broiled or sautéed chicken, lamb chops, sautéed liver, or
veal chops or scallops.

TWO RECIPES FOR GREEN BEANS IN CREAM



Haricots Verts à la Crème
[Creamed Green Beans I]

For 6 to 8 people

3 lbs. green beans, trimmed and washed
A wide, heavy-bottomed, enameled saucepan or skillet
Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tb softened butter
2 cups whipping cream
A lid for the pan

Blanch the beans in 7 to 8 quarts of rapidly boiling salted water as
described on this page, but drain them 3 to 4 minutes before they
are tender. Toss the beans in the pan over moderately high heat to
evaporate their moisture. Then toss with the salt, pepper, and
butter. Pour in the cream, cover the pan, and boil slowly for 5
minutes or so, until beans are tender and cream has reduced by
half. Correct seasoning.

3 Tb fresh minced savory, tarragon, or parsley
Turn into hot vegetable dish, sprinkle with herbs, and serve at
once.

****


Haricots Verts, Sauce Crème
[Creamed Green Beans II]

This is less rich than the pure cream treatment in the preceding
recipe.

For 6 to 8 people

3 lbs. green beans, trimmed and washed
A wide, heavy-bottomed, enameled saucepan or skillet

Blanch the beans in 7 to 8 quarts of boiling salted water as
described on this page, but drain them 3 to 4 minutes before they
are tender. Toss the beans in the pan over moderately high heat to
evaporate their moisture.

Salt and pepper to taste
3 Tb softened butter
3 Tb minced shallots or green onions
A lid for the pan

Then toss them with the seasonings, butter, and minced shallots
or onions. Cover the pan and let them cook slowly for 3 to 4
minutes.

3 cups boiling sauce crème (béchamel with cream)
Salt and pepper
3 Tb fresh minced savory, tarragon, or parsley

Delicately fold the hot sauce into the beans. Cover pan and
simmer slowly again for 3 to 4 minutes, or until beans are tender.
Correct seasoning. Turn into a hot vegetable dish, sprinkle with
herbs, and serve at once.

A GOOD ADDITION

½ to 1 lb. sliced mushrooms sautéed in butter
Fold the sautéed mushrooms into the beans with the sauce.

****


HARICOTS VERTS GRATINÉS, À LA MORNAY
[Green Beans Gratinéed with Cheese Sauce]

This is a good method for ahead-of-time preparation. Serve with
the same meats suggested in the preceding recipes for green beans
in cream.

For 6 to 8 people

3 lbs. green beans, trimmed and washed

Blanch the beans as described until they are just tender. Drain,
refresh in cold water, and dry in a towel.

3 cups sauce mornay (béchamel with cheese)
A lightly buttered baking dish

Salt and pepper to taste
⅓ cup grated Swiss cheese
1 Tb butter cut into pea-sized dots

Spread a third of the sauce in the baking dish. Season the beans
and arrange them over the sauce. Pour on the rest of the sauce.
Sprinkle with cheese, dot with butter, and set aside uncovered.
Half an hour before serving time, bake in upper third of a
preheated 375-degree oven until beans are well heated through
and the sauce has browned lightly on top.

****


HARICOTS VERTS À LA PROVENÇALE
[Green Beans with Tomatoes, Garlic, and Herbs]

These full-favored beans go wonderfully with roast lamb or
beef, steaks, chops, or broiled chicken. Tossed with diced, sautéed
ham, they can serve as a main-course luncheon or supper dish.

Frozen beans react nicely to this treatment.

For 6 to 8 servings

2 cups thinly sliced onions
½ cup olive oil An enameled saucepan or skillet large enough
to hold the beans
Cook the onions slowly in the olive oil until they are tender and
translucent but not browned, about 10 minutes.
4 to 6 large, rm, ripe, red tomatoes peeled, seeded, juiced,
and chopped
2 to 4 cloves mashed garlic
A medium herb bouquet with cloves: 4 parsley sprigs, ½ bay
leaf, ½ tsp thyme, and 2 cloves tied in cheesecloth
¾ cup liquid: juice from the tomatoes plus water or water
only
Salt and pepper to taste

Add the ingredients above, and simmer for 30 minutes. Then
remove the herb bouquet.

3 lbs. green beans OR 3 boxes partially defrosted cut green
beans added directly to the cooked tomato mixture
Salt and pepper
¼ cup chopped parsley, or a mixture of green herbs such as
basil, savory, and tarragon plus parsley

While the tomatoes are cooking, blanch the beans in 7 to 8 quarts
of boiling salted water as described on this page, but drain them 3
to 4 minutes before they are tender. Toss them in the pan with the
onions and tomatoes. Cover and simmer slowly for 8 to 10
minutes, tossing occasionally, until they are tender. Most of the
liquid should have evaporated by this time; if not, uncover, raise
heat, and boil it o rapidly, tossing the beans. Correct seasoning,
toss in the herbs, and serve.

All the above from "Mastering The Art of French Cooking Vol. 1"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13014550-mastering-the-art-of-french-cooking-volume-1


Thank you Julia! I Love Green Beans!! Enjoy everyone!