Boiled French Beans

The Book of Household Management · Beeton, Mrs. (Isabella Mary) · 1861
Source
The Book of Household Management
Yield
6.0 – 7.0 persons
Status
success · extracted 13 days ago
Not a recipe
No
Ingredients (6)
For boiling water
For preparing beans
For serving
Main ingredient
Instructions (12)
  1. Cut off the heads and tails, and a thin strip on each side of the beans, to remove the strings.
  2. Divide each bean into 4 or 6 pieces, according to size, cutting them lengthways in a slanting direction.
  3. As they are cut, put them into cold water with a small quantity of salt dissolved in it.
  4. Have ready a saucepan of boiling water, with salt and soda in the proportion of 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt and a very small piece of soda to each 1/2 gallon of water.
  5. Put the beans into the boiling water.
  6. Keep them boiling quickly with the lid uncovered.
  7. Be careful that they do not get smoked.
  8. When tender (which may be ascertained by their sinking to the bottom of the saucepan), take them up.
  9. Throw them into a colander.
  10. When drained, dish and serve with plain melted butter.
Alternative preparation
  1. When very young, beans are sometimes served whole; their colour and flavour are much better preserved.
  2. The more general way of dressing them is to cut them into thin strips.
Original Text
BOILED FRENCH BEANS. 1090. INGREDIENTS.—To each 1/2 gallon of water allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt, a very small piece of soda. [Illustration: Scarlet Runner.] 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.
Notes
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