Auguste Escoffier

4124 The cooking of French Beans

Appears in

#29Le Guide Culinaire
Le Guide Culinaire

By Auguste Escoffier

Published 1903

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French beans are one of the finest of all the vegetables but they need to be prepared with the greatest possible care. Their quality is such that they are nearly always good in spite of the faulty preparation they so often receive.

French beans should be used very fresh and must not be cooked for too long in boiling salted water. They are best when still a little firm to the bite but not, of course, the least bit hard.

They should not be refreshed after cooking, it being sufficient to toss them in a pan on the stove to evaporate excess moisture. After seasoning with salt and pepper, add 100 g (3½ oz) small pieces of butter per 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) beans and toss over to coat them.