Green Beans with Shitakes and Walnuts
The summer of 2009 was an excellent growing season for green beans. They grew and produced until the snow buried them. Unheard of in central Ohio, usually beans are done by the end of July or first of August. I had a whole shelf in my freezer of beans, only 2 bags left. Come back in June and I will show you step by step how to freeze green beans, it’s easy. I grew wax bush beans and my neighbor and good friend, Carol, grew pole green beans. By September she could not look at another bean! So I have had both in the freezer since. No, I’m still not sick of fresh organic green beans, never. There are so many things you can do with them and kids love them.
I hosted our family Easter get together and green beans were on the menu! I made a bowl of Green Beans with Shitakes and Walnuts and also made a bowl of plain green beans, the kids love them with garlic salt. Speaking of garlic salt, the best garlic salt ever is; Lawry’s Garlic Salt, coarse ground with parsley. Well, the beans with the shitakes went down the table once and they were gone! The kids polished off the other bowl, a success, everyone loved them.
Green Beans with Shitakes and Walnuts
4 dried shitake mushrooms
1 pound green beans-or another variety
1 zest of a lemon, grated
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 pat of butter
½ cup toasted walnuts, coarse chop
Salt and pepper
In a medium size heatpoof bowl or measuring cup, place mushrooms; cover mushrooms with boiling water. Let sit until soft.
Place beans in a saucepot, add an inch of water, cover; bring up to a boil, turn down heat to a low boil and cook until done, 5-10 minutes. Cook them to your desired tenderness.
While the beans are cooking; slice mushrooms, discarding the tough stem, place in a serving bowl along with the grated zest of a lemon.
Drain the cooked beans and add to the serving bowl, top with parsley, thyme, pat of butter and chopped walnuts; toss to mix and coat beans with butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Note: If using fresh mushrooms saute them in the pat of butter in place of the pat of butter in the serving bowl.
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I was going to call you about green beans this week! I had some left over in the freezer, but they were soggy and did not taste very good. like the frech steamed ones fresh from the garden. I will check back in June for all your green bean tips and stuff! 😉
Sorry to say but a frozen green bean will not be like a crisp one from the garden. They are not as soft as canned but are not crisp as you said, “a little soggy”. The frozen green beans do not need as long to cook, they just need to be heated through, the flavor is still there. Smile and think of fresh from the garden.