Tiny sugar magic: Elevate your summer greens with vibrant flavour

Green beans are tasty and a healthy legume that we can fully enjoy from late June to early July. That's when the season for this extraordinary plant starts, whose health and culinary properties are invaluable. How can you prepare green beans so they retain their intense colour, crispness, and full flavour? Here are some tried-and-true methods worth trying out.

Most of us cook green beans in salted water. But did you know that adding a pinch of sugar can work wonders? Sugar not only brings out the beans' deeper flavour but also helps maintain their intense green colour.

How to do it?

1. Boil 4 litres of water in a pot for every kilogram of beans.
2. Add two flat teaspoons of salt and the same amount of sugar.
3. Throw the beans into the boiling water and cook them according to the time indicated on the package (usually 7-10 minutes for yellow beans and 4-6 minutes for green beans).

Blanching beans crisps them and retains their natural colour. This is a quick way to prepare vegetables that preserve their valuable vitamins.

How to blanch green beans?

1. Thoroughly wash the beans and cut off the ends.
2. Boil 4 litres of water in a pot with two flat teaspoons of salt and two flat teaspoons of sugar.
3. Prepare a bowl of ice-cold water.
4. Throw the beans into the boiling water and cook for two minutes.
5. Quickly transfer the beans to the bowl of ice-cold water to stop the cooking process.
6. After 15 seconds, drain the beans and dry them on a kitchen towel.

Do you like stewed green beans? Try this two-step cooking method to achieve perfectly soft yet firm beans with an intense colour.

Ingredients:

• 500 grams of fresh green beans
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 125 millilitres of water
• 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional)

Preparation:

1. Rinse the beans and dry them. Remove the ends and cut the longer beans in half.
2. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the beans and sauté for 5-7 minutes until they become bright and glossy.
3. Add the garlic, salt, and sugar. Sauté briefly until the garlic becomes fragrant.
4. Pour in the water and immediately cover the pan. Steam the beans for one to two minutes until they are bright green and crispy.
5. Optionally, add the red pepper flakes at the end.

Thanks to these simple tricks, your green beans will be delicious and look beautiful!

Additional tips:

• Use fresh, high-quality water to cook the beans.
• Don't overcrowd the pot, allowing the beans to cook freely.
• Don't overcook the beans to retain their firmness and colour.
• Green beans can be eaten hot or cold. They make a great addition to meat, fish, pasta dishes, and even salads.