To cook or not to cook: This is a question we hear with increasing frequency, as raw food diets enjoy another turn in the spotlight. If you are a fan of never cooking anything, you might want to stop reading now. This column is not for you.
Certain foods need to be cooked both to make them palatable and to unlock their nutrients so that the human body can make use of them. For now, I want to focus on the palatability side of things.
Green beans -- along with broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms and potatoes, to name a few others -- need to be cooked, even for salads.
There are a lot of ways to illustrate why but the best, if you are not convinced, is to do a taste test. Cook a green bean for about three minutes -- a bit longer if the bean is particularly large -- and then taste it alongside a raw bean.
The flavor of the cooked bean has blossomed, revealing more nuance and depth; it also has a pleasing texture.
A raw green bean, no matter how perfectly grown, does not have these qualities.
The other way I like to illustrate this point is with a story about Julia Child, whom everyone seems to be thinking about these days because of the movie "Julie & Julia."
A number of years ago, she and Jacques Pepin were in Sonoma County for a special interview and luncheon hosted by KQED. I had the pleasure of conducting the interview, which was in front of an audience of about 50 guests.
At lunch, Pepin leaned over and whispered in my ear.
"Thank God the green beans are cooked enough," he said in that wonderful French accent. "Julia hates undercooked green beans."
I'm with Julia.
If you are, too, here are a couple of recipes that are perfect at this time of year, when the green beans are ready and basil, one of its best companions, is begging to be picked.
This salad is both delicious and flexible. Use any fresh green bean, from tiny haricots verte to Romanos and even long beans.
Vegetarians can easily omit the bacon; simply saute the shallots and garlic in olive oil. If you don't have cherry tomatoes, dice larger tomatoes.
Always remember, however, that a dish is no better than the ingredients used to make it; you'll find the best tomatoes in a backyard or at a farmers market.
Warm Summer Salad with Green Beans, Potatoes, Tomatoes and Bacon
Makes 4 to 6 servings
-- Kosher salt
8 ounces fresh small green beans, trimmed
1 pound small new potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
3 bacon slices
1 small shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, crushed and minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more if needed
-- Black pepper in a mill
2 tablespoons best quality red or white wine vinegar
1 cup small cherry tomatoes, such as Sungold, cut into lengthwise quarters
1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, cut into very thin strips
Fill a medium saucepan half full with water, season with salt and bring to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes for small beans and 4 or 5 minutes for more mature beans. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beans to a colander or strainer to drain.
Add the potatoes to the saucepan and cook until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes or a little longer for thicker slices; do not let the potatoes fall apart. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a wide shallow serving bowl to cool slightly.
Put the bacon into a medium saute pan and cook, turning at least once, until crisp; transfer to absorbent paper.
Pour off all but about a tablespoon of bacon fat, return the pan to medium heat and saute the shallot until it is soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute more.
Season with salt and several turns of black pepper.
Stir in the olive oil and vinegar, remove from the heat and taste; correct for acid balance and for salt.
Add the green beans to the bowl with the potatoes and pour the dressing over them. Use 2 forks to toss very gently. Add the tomatoes and basil, toss again, taste and correct for salt and pepper.
Chop or crumble the bacon and scatter it over the salad.
Serve warm.
Certain flavors go beautifully together -- green beans and basil, for example, and basil and coconut milk. In this recipe, think of the basil as the liaison between the green beans and the coconut, the friend who makes the introduction.
This curry is delicious as a side dish with chicken but satisfying enough to be a vegetarian main course on a warm night.
Green Beans
in Thai Green Curry
Makes 2 to 3 servings
1 tablespoon Green Curry Paste (recipe follows)
-- Kosher salt
8 to 10 ounces fresh small green beans, trimmed and cut into 1?-inch lengths
1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1 small yellow onion, minced
1 tablespoon sugar (palm, brown or white)
3 or 4 kaffir lime leaves, if available
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