A green bean goes by many names. Sometimes it’s called a snap bean, because it can be broken or snapped to length. And sometimes it’s called a string bean, since it used to have strings running down both sides. But happily, most green beans these days are stringless, and they aren’t even necessarily green. Purple and yellow bean pods liven up the mix and the garden as well—although, sadly, purple beans change to green during cooking. These fresh edible pods come in different shapes, too: the standard round pods, the extra-thin French filet beans, and flat-pod Italian beans (also called Romano beans).

No matter what you call them, snap beans are delicious cooked many ways

They’re terrific simply steamed or boiled (see the recipe for只是美味的绿豆），但它们也很好炖，炒，烤，甚至烤。优雅的薄片豆是用于蒸或沸腾和整体食用的经典类型。宽阔的意大利豆具有浓郁的豆类风味，年轻时也可以迅速煮熟，但较大的豆是炖，炖和烘烤的理想选择。所有豆类的良好风味匹配包括腌制猪肉（想想培根和培根）；洋葱，葱和大蒜；鳀鱼;柠檬皮；Dill，Tarragon，Mint，Summer Savory或Chervil。

Green bean inspiration

在我家，绿豆是夏天的生菜的替代品。当花园抽出豆子时，每周几次在晚餐中出现一些简单且多功能的豆类沙拉。但是还有许多其他诱人的方法可以使用一团糟的豆类。

Add green beans to a warm potato saladmade with small red-skinned potatoes. Toss with chopped shallots and a creamy mustard vinaigrette.

Stir up a flavorful sautéof snap beans, slivered onion, sliced mushrooms, chopped garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add a dash of balsamic vinegar at the end.

Mix a colorful bean salad煮熟的绿色和黄色的豆豆，鹰嘴豆，切成丁的生洋葱，芹菜和胡椒粉。在甜醋中腌制。就在食用前，用切碎的新鲜cher或薄荷扔掉。

Simmer up some Southern-style beans.Cut green or flat-pod beans into 2-inch lengths and slowly simmer with diced onion, diced bacon (or a ham hock or a bit of salt pork), and freshly ground black pepper. Toward the end of cooking, taste and add a splash of cider or malt vinegar, and a bit of salt if necessary.

Drizzle tender, cooked whole beans with a tangy yogurt sauceflavored with mint, dill, or cardamom and spiked with a dash of cayenne.

Compose a beautiful salade niçoise.Steam or boil whole filet or small green beans just until tender. Cover a platter with a bed of tender butter lettuce leaves and top with the cooked beans, tomato wedges, quartered hard-cooked eggs, and chunked cooked or canned tuna. Garnish with a scattering of whole black olives and anchovy fillets. Serve with a well-seasoned lemon-chive vinaigrette.

Braise fully grown beans in savory stock.Brown the beans lightly in olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and then simmer, covered, in a little chicken stock until the beans are fully tender and the stock is reduced to a syrupy glaze.

If you have just a handful of beans…

将它们煮至Al Dente，然后添加到Crudité盘子中。They’re delicious dunked into hummus, herbed yogurt dip, garlicky aïoli, or a pungent anchovy sauce.

Add whole or cut cooked beans to a salad.My favorite combination is slivered endive leaves, green beans, and sliced red radishes in a mustardy vinaigrette.

Or simply tuck the cooked beans among slices of tomatoesand drizzle with olive oil.

Add short pieces of uncooked beans to soupor risotto, or sauté them and add to a frittata.

Make a succotash通过将绿豆切成小块并变白；用黄油中的玉米仁短暂炒炒，并添加细香葱和淡淡的奶油。