How to Cook Yellow Wax Beans – A Simple & Delicious Recipe

 

I really look forward to having fresh local produce to enjoy every summer. When I lived in the U.K. I had a nice garden, and we used to grow a lot of vegetables in the summertime. Here in Canada, I make do with the local Farm Markets, which are sharing an abundant array of fresh vegetables with us at the moment.

Right now, aside from corn, we are enjoying beans, both the green and the yellow or "Wax" beans as they are also called!  Wax beans were not something which I could get very often in the shops in the U.K., but I did always grow my own.  There isn't really much difference between the two.

Green beans contain more chlorophyll which give them that lovely green color. Both taste pretty similar and have a similar texture when cooked. They also contain many of the same nutrients and fiber.  Yellow beans, however, do maintain their color much better when cooked than their green counterparts!

 

This way for cooking these yellow wax beans is the way my grandmother used to cook them. I have been cooking them like this, in butter and cream for many, many years. Mom always loved it when I made them if she was coming over for supper. She aways said I could make the sole of a boot taste good. I took that as a great compliment.

The butter and the cream add a lovely richness to the beans and the seasonings are perfect. You can also add fresh herbs if you wish. Thyme is a favorite of mine. 

I am so fond of these beans that I could quite happily make a supper of a bowl of them and nothing else! I hope that you will give them a go and that you will enjoy them as much as I do!

 

    WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE

SAVORY YELLOW WAX BEANS

There is nothing complicated about this dish. Simple ingredients put together in the most delicious way!

• 2 pounds (907g) yellow wax beans
• 1/4 cup (60g) butter
• 2 TBS heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp coarse black pepper
• a large handful of buttery type of crackers, crumbled by hand (Townhouse, Ritz, Tuc, etc.)

 

If you cannot get yellow wax beans, by all means use whichever kind of fresh bean you can get.  I will be honest and tell you that I sometimes cook tinned beans in this same manner with the butter and cream. Just drain well, add to the saucepan with the seasonings, butter, and cream and heat through thoroughly!

Buttery crackers are the ones which are rich and buttery and crumble very easily such as the round Ritz crackers, oval Townhouse, TUC (in the U.K.), etc.

 

HOW TO MAKE SAVORY YELLOW WAX BEANS

This is a very simple side dish to make and one that I look forward to making every year when fresh beans are in season!

1. Wash your beans very well to remove any debris. Trim off the ends and then cut into bite sized pieces. (To wash simply run under cold water, picking out and discarding any stems or debris. I cut them into 1-inch lengths. If your beans are larger or older, you will probably need to de-string them as the strings can be a bit unpalatable.)
2. Place into the saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil. Cook until tender. (15 to 20 minutes, depending on the age of the beans.) (The length of time depends on how old and how large the beans are.  You do want them well cooked for this recipe.)
3. Drain very well and return to the saucepan. Shake over the residual heat of the burner to dry out well.
4. Add the butter, cream and all of the seasoning. Stir over the residual heat of the burner to melt the butter, heat the cream and coat the beans well. (Amounts of butter and cream suggested are just a suggestion, you can use more or less according to taste.)
5. Pour into a heated serving bowl. Crumble the crackers over top and serve immediately! (Don't add the cracker crumbs until you are ready to eat as you don't want them to get soggy or soften. Part of their appeal is the crunchiness.)

 

CAN I SAVE THE LEFTOVERS?

You can save the leftovers minus the crumb topping. Simply pop into an air tight container, close the lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days.  Reheat gently in a saucepan when you are ready to eat them. You can add a bit of additional cream and butter to make this easier.

CAN I FREEZE THE LEFTOVERS?

I never have. To be honest, even with just myself in the house there is never enough left over to freeze. I have been known to eat a plate or bowl of this for my supper without anything else. Yes, I do love this dish that much!

 

DO I NEED TO USE YELLOW WAX BEANS?

You can use any type of fresh pole or bush bean that you like, enjoy, and that are readily available to you. If using runner beans, do be sure to remove the strings and then cut into manageable lengths. I like to cut them into half inch slices on the diagonal. 

CAN I MAKE THIS AHEAD OF TIME?

You can certainly cook the beans ahead of time without adding the butter and cream. When you are ready to eat, gently reheat them in a saucepan with the cream, butter, and seasonings until the butter melts and everything is heated through and coated.  I do not recommend you add the cracker crumbs until just prior to eating.

VARIATIONS

Feel free to add some chopped fresh herbs to this.  Parsley, Dill, Thyme and Sage are all very good. You could also add some chopped crisp smoked bacon. Not a fan of cracker crumbs?  Try sprinkling the top with crispy salad onions such as Durkee's or French's in their place.

 

A FEW MORE SEASONAL VEGETABLE

SIDE-DISHES FOR YOU TO ENJOY

CHEESY GARLIC GREEN BEANS - Fresh, filled with flavor and fabulously cheesy, this green bean recipe is a wonderful way to celebrate summer's bounty!  Crispy-tender green beans are tossed with olive oil, fresh garlic, and parmesan cheese and then roasted to perfection. Just when you don't think they could get any better a blanket of melty mozzarella and cheddar cheese is scattered over top. This then gets grilled to perfection. A simple, yet irresistible side dish.

BRAISED CABBAGE WITH HORSERADISH CREAM - This fabulous side dish highlights this humble vegetable in the most delicious way. Wedges of white/green cabbage are gently simmered in a velvety blend of cream, chicken stock and grated horseradish until    almost tender and then transferred to the oven and roasted until really tender and beautifully caramelized.  The end result is a buttery soft-melt-in-the-mouth cabbage dish with a subtle kick of heat and golden crispy edges.

  

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Yield: 4 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Savory Yellow Wax Beans

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min

I have been cooking yellow beans like this for many years. They are so delicious that I could eat a whole plate of these and nothing else!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (907g) yellow wax beans
• 1/4 cup (60g) butter
• 2 TBS heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp coarse black pepper
• a large handful of buttery type of crackers, crumbled by hand (Townhouse, Ritz, Tuc, etc.)

Instructions

1. Wash your beans very well to remove any debris. Trim off the ends and then cut into bite sized pieces.
2. Place into the saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil. Cook until tender. (15 to 20 minutes, depending on the age of the beans.)
3. Drain very well and return to the saucepan. Shake over the residual heat of the burner to dry out well.
4. Add the butter, cream and all of the seasoning. Stir over the residual heat of the burner to melt the butter, heat the cream and coat the beans well.
5. Pour into a heated serving bowl. Crumble the crackers over top and serve immediately!

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