I grew up eating Greek style string beans. That is, fresh string beans cut into pieces and cooked in onions and tomato sauce. Delicious. Later, I adopted the practice of simply steaming string beans in a bit of water, either whole or cut. Also delicious. A holiday go-to enjoyed by many is green bean casserole, not our house. We always preferred unadorned and fresh.

String beans, when I was a kid we used to actually have to remove the string from the spine of the green beans. Thus, the name “string” beans. Now, I think following years of breeding and whatever, the pesky string has gone the way of many other things and they are simply called green beans. Then there are basic string beans and their smaller, leaner, “French” cousin haricot verts. I pick those up at the supermarket every once in a while.

No matter what you call them or which you choose to serve, I recently tried two new ways of preparing this versatile vegetable that have beed added to my repertoire.

Green Beans with Za’atar and Lemon.* Start with two pounds of trimmed haricot verts, the thinner, more expensive “French” string beans. Over medium-high heat, bring ¼ cup of chicken broth to a simmer in a large skillet. Add the green beans, cover the pan, and cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover the pan, add two tbsp unsalted butter (I used olive oil instead), toss to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in one tbsp. of za’atar, the zest of one lemon, and salt and pepper to taste. That’s it. Enjoy.

*This is a Lean Koenig recipe from 2014. She is a prolific cookbook author, specializing in the foods of the Italian Jewish community. I was introduced to Leah during the long months of Covid when she offered numerous informative zoom cooking classes.

Garlic Ginger Green Beans (a recipe featuring Asian flavors). Start by blanching* one pound of trimmed green beans. While beans are cooking, mix together four minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp soy sauce, ½ tbsp minced ginger (I grate frozen ginger), two tsp rice vinegar, ½ tsp sesame oil, and a bit of salt. Pour the sauce over the cooked beans, stir to combine. Serve topped with one to two tsp of toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy.

*Blanching is a new technique to me. Simply bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Plunge the vegetables into the water for one to five minutes. Remove and put into an ice bath to stop the cooking. The vegetables retain their color and a lovely crunch.

Yes, Constant Companion and Daughter voted the two new recipes to the keeper list.