Pressure cooking - Chapter 9

Have you ever heard of "Purple Podded Pole Beans?" I hadn't either. This is the first year I have ever grown them and I am so pleased with them. I read about them in Eating on the Wild Side: The missing link to Optimum Health .  They are more nutritious than green beans.  Pole beans, of course, are much easier to pick than bush beans.  One very nice thing I've observed about these is that Japanese Beetles don't seem to like them.  The beetles munch on nearly everything else in our garden, but stay clear of these.  I picked some for the first time, today.  They are very pretty!

These beans are "string beans."  That means that the larger ones have fibrous strings you need to pull off before you cook them.  You don't have to, of course, but if you don't they are not very pleasant to eat as it will feel as if you have lengths of dental floss in your mouth.  No... better to "string" them - like this:

Do you see that cute little pointy up thingie on the end of the bean?

Carefully break it, downward, and you can pull the "string" right off the bean.  Then, of course, also snap off the stem end.

Here is how I use the pressure cooker to cook my fresh beans.  The beans will take only a few minutes to cook, and will be tender, and actually retain more nutrients than being steamed or boiled.  Here they are, on the trivet in the bottom of my pressure saucepan:

Put them in, add 1 cup of water, put on the lid and pressure regulator:

Bring up to pressure, and with the petcock gently rocking, and cook for 5 minutes.  As soon as it is done, put the pan in your sink and run cold water over it until the pressure is released.  Then, open the cooker and voila!  Tender, delicious, fresh beans and look!  They are GREEN now!

I served them with salt and a little dash of genuine Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.  It was so delicious!  

Incidentally, I bought my olive oil from that company linked above, but in buying 2 gallons, not only was the cost much lower per ounce, but I got free shipping, also.  I know it costs a lot, but that is only once a year.  It is oil to Die For!  So fresh!  Delightful!  It makes excellent mayonnaise, too, as well as any other use on salads, toast, vegetables... anything.  I highly recommend it and no, I am not on their payroll.