If you follow Kitchen Kat, you may recall the rocky beginnings that I’ve had with baked potatoes, fish and peas. Add to that list green beans. Beans suffered the same fate as the other troublesome foods. They were crisp and green in the afternoon, when my mother and I sat in the backyard, snapping off the uneven ends and tossing the trimmed veggies into colanders. By dinnertime they had become squishy and bland, the result of an hour spent bubbling away in a stockpot.

Complaints about texture and flavor led to the addition of ham to the pot. Instead of rectifying the problem ham only added to it. Now, rather than just limp, tasteless beans I also had to slip hunks of tough, grayish meat to the family dog. Mushy beans she could handle. Leathery ham? Not so much.

Eventually canned beans replaced fresh. Although canned vegetables wouldn’t normally be a treat, these particular ones were. To dress up the beans’ drab look and flavor, my mother would stir in a dollop of Cheez Whiz before serving. As unpalatable as they sound today, those salty, saucy, albeit pulpy, beans were a highpoint of family meals.

In spite of my love for this quirky dish I never whipped up cheesy green beans for myself. The shame of cooking canned beans and Cheez Whiz was simply too much. Left with bad memories of fresh ones, I stopped eating green beans altogether.

Thanks to cooking classes and a desire to give these Vitamin A- and C-filled vegetables another shot, I’ve added green beans to my dinner repertoire. Steamed or simmered until crisply tender, which should take three to five minutes, they’re a lovely addition to any menu.

Available year-round, green beans peak in the summer months. Look for slender, bright colored, crisp and blemish-free vegetables. You can store fresh, tightly wrapped beans for up to five days in the refrigerator.

HAZELNUT HARICOT VERT
Serves 4 to 6

1 pound fresh French green beans, ends trimmed
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup blanched hazelnuts, toasted
Sea salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish and to taste

Using a steamer basket placed over a lidded stockpot, steam the haricot verts for 3 to 4 minutes or until bright green and crisply tender. Remove from heat and plunge the beans into a bowl of iced water.

In a small bowl whisk together the lemon zest and juice, garlic, chives and olive oil.

Drain and dry the beans. In a large bowl toss together the beans, dressing, tomatoes, hazelnuts, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings before adorning with shaved Parmesan cheese and serving.