Green Bean Machine

Yes, I've been overtaken by green beans. And purple romano beans, that magically turn green when you cook them. I planted too many. Or they did too well. In any case, the first patch has me overwhelmed, but what I didn't tell you is that the 2nd patch is just coming into its glory. It was a bit behind, which I was thankful for, but it has now started production.

I didn't always like fresh green beans. I had trouble with the fuzz. This seems like a strange concept to me now, as I don't even notice it. But back when I was used to eating canned green beans, those strangely smooth, almost waxy, salty, squeaky nubs that are not quite green, and probably not much "bean", I snubbed my nose at the fresh ones. Processed food has a way of robbing us of our ability to appreciate the real stuff. Our palates get paralyzed by all of the added stabilizers, preservatives, and ultra-cooking that fundamentally changes the original food. And we don't even know it. So, it takes some re-training, almost re-programming, the taste buds to get back on track. Actually enjoying the texture of the real stuff is the happy result. Just don't make the mistake of overcooking your veggies (hi mom!), or you risk losing all that you just worked for.

As my green beans pile up, I am after new ways to prepare them. You see, I have a bad habit of getting bored with the same old/same ol'. Maybe this year I will master a Szechuan-style preparation, but I confess, I haven't yet given it a whirl, so I better wait to share that. What I want to tell you about though, is what to do with the first batch of freshly picked green beans that you come across. I promise, you will not be disappointed with this, if you decide to give it a go. In fact, you may want to run to the nearest farm stand (or my house) and grab up some green beans right now.

Caesar Aioli with Fresh Steamed Green Beans

1 cup mayo (feel free to use low fat, if that's your thing, but not no-fat)

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2 anchovy fillets, or 1 tsp of anchovy paste

juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 minced garlic clove, or 1 tsp of garlic paste (do not used jarred garlic, please)

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

handful of parsley (optional)

Throw all ingredients in a food processor, and let it whir. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Prepare the green beans:

First, trim off the stem end. Set some well-salted water on to boil. Give the beans a few minutes in the pot, being sure they stay bright green. (5 minutes max), follow this with a quick chill down, under cold running water. At this point, you can refrigerate, or serve immediately.

So, what you want to do when you are ready to eat them, is drag those slightly cooked, chilled, little fuzzy green beans right through the aioli, and then chomp 'em up. I swear, you won't miss the canned version.