The Green Bean

As we enter the month of September, we still have some of the abundant harvest from the summer, but we are slowly entering the autumnal season with its new flavours. This week's vegetable is the humble green bean. With over 130 varieties (cultivars) or pod beans known to us. Out of those, the green bean varieties are the most common and easiest to grow at home.

Let us not confuse green beans and runner beans. The difference between them is simple they are two different plants.  But if you ask the difference between green beans, bobby beans, French beans, haricot verts, Kenyan beans, Italian beans not to mention purple and yellow green beans, it all becomes a bit more complicated. Let me explain...

Runner beans – how to cook them, and when are they in season?

Runner beans (phaseolus coccineus) and green beans (phaseolus vulgaris) are completely different plants.

Runner beans are priced less, the plants yield more but the surface of the bean is rough, flat and the green pods need to be de-strung and cut, diagonally, into smaller pieces. Boil them for three minutes, toss in olive oil, fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon and finish with salt and pepper.

If you don't have time, they are not worth bothering with, but if you have grown them yourself make time for them as they are delicious.

On that note let's talk about my favourite bean to eat and cook with, green beans! They come in rounded shapes, flat, stringy, sweet and absolutely delicious. They can be eaten raw, cooked or blanched. 

I am going to share one of my all-time favourite green bean recipes with you. In this recipe I use a French bean, but you can easily use any type of green bean. I love using the long flat beans that you will find at farmers markets at the end of summer.

This recipe was handed down to me by two amazing Egyptian clients who insisted that they teach me one of their traditional dishes whilst attending one of my Wellness Retreats. I have been cooking it ever since and every time I do it converts none green bean eaters into new found fans! I have been cooking this dish ever since and it is a retreat classic whenever I can source good-quality beans and when they are in season of course.

SMOKY SUMAC GREEN BEANS

Serves 4

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) green beans – any type, flat or French, it’s up to you, trimmed

olive oil, for frying

3–4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 teaspoon sumac

1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes

(red pepper flakes)

400 g (14 oz) tin of good-quality tomatoes

1–2 medjool dates, stoned (pitted)

pink Himalayan salt or sea salt and black

pepper, to taste

To serve

fresh parsley or coriander (cilantro)

handful of watercress or rocket

(arugula) and chopped nuts

Method

Tidy up the beans – if you are using big flat beans, chop them into 4 pieces, if you are using French beans, cut them in half.

Heat a good glug of olive oil in a large pan, the greener the better in my opinion. Add the garlic and onion and gently fry for about 10 minutes until soft.

Add the sumac and chilli and give everything a good stir, then add the beans, salt and pepper and tomatoes, put a lid on and gently simmer for 15 minutes.

Check on the beans once and give them a stir. For the last 10 minutes of cooking, tear a date or 2 into the mix and stir. Take the lid off and let it simmer.

This can be eaten straight away or made and enjoyed later, as long as it’s stored in an airtight container. I like to top mine with rocket, chopped nuts and some parsley or coriander.

Last but not least some green bean cooking tips: One of my favourite ways to cook green beans is to blanch them until tender yet crisp and dip them into a vinaigrette which makes a lovely starter or great none bread pre dinner nibble. Green beans also make a great low-carb snack, but are also a wonderful addition to salads, casseroles and soups.