Beans make for a garden gala
We got a late start on the garden this year, but things are
finally happening.
The aphid explosion on the apples is in check, thanks to
judicious applications of insecticidal soap.
Beans make for a garden gala
We got a late start on the garden this year, but things are finally happening.
The aphid explosion on the apples is in check, thanks to judicious applications of insecticidal soap.
More recently, the black bean aphids are throwing a party on the artichokes. Back to insecticidal soap and regular blasts with a strong stream of water.
But what have me checking the garden at least twice daily are the beans. Basil is still hibernating, waiting for temperatures to warm a little more (this week was cooperative, wasn’t it?) before it really takes off.
But beans are coming into their own, pushing their way through the soil and reaching higher every day.
We’ve got rows of bush and pole beans this year. Bush beans are like determinate tomatoes. A heavy crop comes on pretty much all at once and then the show’s over, just in time to plant some fall crops before the weather turns cold.
But the pole beans just keep on giving, offering a steady production that can make just about anyone feel like a master gardener. Whenever whimsy dictates, we can go out and pluck enough for dinner once they come into their own. Their blossoms attract beneficial insects. While snails and slugs are mounting an offensive on the basil, they ignore the beans.
They can even be ornamental. Scarlet runner produces flavorful beans and covers itself in bright red flowers. Planted on a sturdy trellis, they can provide a quick screen for garbage cans or compost bins. Moreover, beans are legumes, and robust beans can draw nitrogen from the atmosphere and return it to the soil as free fertilizer.
Beans can be a tough sell, particularly among younger diners. But picked when they are small, they are the sweet essence of summer even raw.
As with almost any fresh vegetable, the best way to cook beans is with restraint. Bring an inch of water to a fast boil, drop in the day’s harvest and cook just until they turn bright green. A short dip in cool water keeps the bright color.
Late season beans left on the vine until the pods swell and begin to dry can be shelled and dried for use through the winter. But it’s relatively easy to preserve young, tender beans during the flush of summer.
One of our daughters is passionate about dilly bean pickles. Her jars are decorative objects, beans packed just so, like a box of green pencils, peeking out from mason jars.
Warm green bean salad
Toss two handfuls of small green beans into salted boiling water. When the water returns to a boil, drain and rinse in cool tap water. Immediately dress the beans in good olive oil, a splash of wine vinegar and toss with two tablespoons of chopped parsley. Dust with fresh ground pepper and serve warm.
Dilly beans
If you have not done home canning before, it’s worthwhile to pick up a free brochure from the U.C. Cooperative Extension office in the Veterans Memorial Building. Besides canning jars – available this time of year at most supermarkets – your best investment may be a slim volume from Ball, a manufacturer of those canning jars. Its recipes work, its advice is scientifically sound and if you follow the directions, the results are nearly certain to be delicious.
2 lbs. green beans, trimmed
1 tsp. cayenne or crushed red pepper
4 cloves garlic
4 heads dill weed
1/4 C. canning (pickling) salt
2 1/2 C. water
2 1/2 C. white vinegar
Pack beans, lengthwise, into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. For each pint, add 1/4 tsp. Cayenne or crushed pepper, 1 clove garlic, and 1 head dill.
Combine remaining ingredients and bring to boiling. Pour boiling hot over beans, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust caps. Process pints and quarts 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Yields about four pints or two quarts.
