Mrs Beetons Vegetables Revisited
Boiled French Beans
French Beans
To each 2˝lt (4 pints) Water allow:
1 tbsp (heaped) Salt
Bicarbonate of Soda
This vegetable should always be eaten young, as, when allowed to grow too long, it tastes stringy and tough when cooked.
Cut off the heads and tails and a thin strip on each side of the beans, to remove the strings.
Then divide each bean into 4 or 6 pieces, according to size, cutting them lengthways in a slanting direction, put them into cold water, with a small quantity of salt dissolved in it.
Have a saucepan of boiling water ready, with salt and a little bicarbonate of soda.
Add the beans, keep them boiling quickly, uncovered.
When tender, which may be ascertained when they sink to the bottom of the saucepan.
Take them out, drain in a colander.
When drained, dish and serve with plain melted butter.
When very young, beans are sometimes served whole.
When they are dressed in this way, their colour and flavour are much better preserved.
The more general way of dressing them is to cut them into thin strips.
Time: Very young beans, 10 to 12 minutes, moderate size, 15 to 20 minutes, after the water boils.
Seasonable from the middle of July to the end of September, but may be had, forced, from February to the beginning of June.
Sufficient: Allow 1/2 peck for 6 or 7 persons.
BOILED FRENCH BEANS
1090. INGREDIENTS - To each 1/2 gallon of water allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt, a very small piece of soda.
Mode - This vegetable should always be eaten young, as, when allowed to grow too long, it tastes stringy and tough when cooked. Cut off the heads and tails, and a thin strip on each side of the beans, to remove the strings. Then divide each bean into 4 or 6 pieces, according to size, cutting them lengthways in a slanting direction, and, as they are cut, put them into cold water, with a small quantity of salt dissolved in it. Have ready a saucepan of boiling water, with salt and soda in the above proportion; put in the beans, keep them boiling quickly, with the lid uncovered, and be careful that they do not get smoked. When tender, which may be ascertained by their sinking to the bottom of the saucepan, take them up, throw them into a colander; and when drained, dish and serve with plain melted butter. When very young, beans are sometimes served whole: when they are thus dressed, their colour and flavour are much better preserved; but the more general way of dressing them is to cut them into thin strips.
Time - Very young beans, 10 to 12 minutes; moderate size, 15 to 20 minutes, after the water boils.
Average cost, in full season, 1s. 4d. a peck; but, when forced, very expensive.
Sufficient - Allow 1/2 peck for 6 or 7 persons.
Seasonable from the middle of July to the end of September; but may be had, forced, from February to the beginning of June.
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