Quite often it’s the little things – things that are basic and down-to-earth – that take us back to a time when life was a bit less complicated. For me, it includes memories of the warm sun shining down on the fields in the Texas Panhandle, bringing to life rows and rows of crops. And all it takes to stir those memories is a trip to the farmer’s market.
Farm to table has become a common phrase in today’s urban landscape as many are discovering the wonderful flavors of fresh produce. My grandparents had huge gardens and as a kid, many a battle was fought with wasps while picking bushel baskets of fresh green beans. Luckily, fresh green beans are now readily available year-round in the markets and no wasps to fight off while “gathering” them.
There’s something quite wonderful about vegetables that are simply cooked. And this method is quick and easy. They’re simmered gently in chicken stock, a stock that’s amplified with concentrated chicken base, then accented with a gentle touch of chervil, plus some kosher salt and black pepper.
Cooking time is less than 30 minutes and you’re left with beautiful, tender green beans with a subtle note of herbs highlighting this modest vegetable. It’s a delicious, unpretentious little dish.
Fresh Green Beans
2 pounds fresh green beans
1 teaspoon dried chervil*
1-½ to 2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon concentrated chicken base
4 to 5 cups chicken stock, or enough to cover the beans
Rinse the green beans, trim, and cut them into 2 to 3” pieces.
Toss the green beans into a medium saucepan. Crush the chervil by rubbing it between your hands and add to the green beans along with 1-½ teaspoons of the kosher salt, the black pepper, and the concentrated chicken base. Pour the chicken stock over the beans, adding enough to cover, stir to blend the seasonings into the stock.
Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until beans are tender. Give the beans a taste after they’ve been cooking for about 10 minutes to check for seasoning. If more is needed, add the remaining kosher salt to suit your taste.
At this point the green beans can be refrigerated a day or two in advance. Reheat over medium-low heat before serving. Serves 8.
*Chervil, a member of the parsley family, can sometimes be a challenge to find in the markets though you can often find it online. If you can’t locate it, a mix of dried parsley and tarragon can be substituted.
Fresh Green Beans
Equipment
- medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh green beans
- 1 teaspoon dried chervil*
- 1-½ to 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon concentrated chicken base
- 4 to 5 cups chicken stock, or enough to cover the beans
Instructions
- Rinse the green beans, trim, and cut into 2 to 3” pieces.
- Toss the green beans into a medium saucepan. Crush the chervil by rubbing it between your hands and add to the green beans along with 1-½ teaspoons of the kosher salt, the black pepper, and the concentrated chicken base.
- Pour the chicken stock over the beans, adding enough to cover, stir to blend the seasonings into the stock.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until beans are tender. Give the beans a taste after they’ve been cooking for about 10 minutes to check for seasoning. If more is needed, add the remaining kosher salt to suit your taste.
- At this point the green beans can be refrigerated a day or two in advance. Reheat over medium-low heat before serving.
