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Produce Expert
Dan Avakian
Getting Fresh
Green Beans—They’re Not
All Green!
Green beans are native to the Americas and have been cultivated since ancient times. Explorers discovered Indians growing green beans in Southern Mexico and Central America in the early 1500’s. The Indians developed a clever method of growing beans that is worth mentioning here. They would plant corn on a mound, then plant three or four bean plants around it. Over time, the bean plants attached to the corn stalk and the plants grew up together, interlaced, as high as six feet tall.
In California we’re fortunate to have a long bean-growing season with dozens of delicious varieties. My favorite by far is the Romano or Italian bean, grown nearby in California’s Brentwood area. It’s a large, flat, stringless bean, about five to seven inches in length. A little tough when raw, these steam up very tender, meaty and mildly waxy with an outstanding, unique flavor. When in season, I eat them like candy.
French beans, also known as haricot verts, are picked early while still very small and thin. These beans are long and straight, tender in texture, yet crisp and very tasty. They are popular with chefs and are often served at high-end restaurants. Although this bean is mostly sold through foodservice distributors, in recent years it has made its way to the retail stand.
Yellow wax beans are another popular variety of French beans; crisp like their green cousins, but milder in flavor. Many chefs prefer them over green beans because they make an attractive presentation. Yellow wax beans are also the bean of choice in pickled vegetables because they don’t fade in color. These beans dehydrate rapidly, so buy them fresh and use them right away.
Purple Beans are still considered a specialty item, although they are making the crossover to mainstream. Purple beans are lovely in color and form and make an excellent presentation when used raw, as they do turn green with the slightest exposure to heat. Using lemon
juice or vinegar in the water when cooking does not help them keep their color. However, they are perfectly delicious when cooked, with a very similar flavor to green varieties.
When selecting beans in the store, look for firm beans with a velvety texture and good color. A fresh bean will snap when broken in half. Avoid beans that are dull and have brown spots, especially on the ends. Over mature beans be “lumpy,” showing the bulges of overgrown beans on the inside. Beans in this condition will be tough and lack flavor.
Green beans are full of nutrition, providing vitamin A, fiber, potassium, folate and iron along with magnesium, thiamin, riboflavin, copper, calcium, phosphorous, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and niacin.
Fresh green beans are available year round from California, Mexico and Florida, but as always during summer, I urge you to support your nearby farmers and buy local!
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