Re: [CH] Hard-boiled green beans

John Caldwell (jcald@3wheel.net)
Thu, 19 Dec 2002 14:43:46 -0800 

If there's anybody else out there like me (well, up until last month) that
has never seen such culinary delights as "fat back" or "salt jowls", you can
take a look at these pics:

http://apex.3wheel.net/pics/soulard/

These are from a recent trip where we stopped by the soulard farmer's market
in st. louis.  They had some wicked spices in the spice shop shown in the
pictures.. dried habaneros, crazy chili powder... you name it.  Oh, and the
last few pictures were from a small chocolate bar that served hot cocoa with
some chili powder in it... man was that good! I've since tried it, and it
really is best with Ibarra brand mexican hot chocolate, and just add chili
powder to taste.


----- Original Message -----
From: "F. Eugene (Gene) Dunnam" <dunnam@phys.ufl.edu>
To: <Chile-Heads@globalgarden.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 19, 2002 8:14 AM
Subject: [CH] Hard-boiled green beans


> Greetings, all-
>
> I thought this thread had ended but seeing as how it's still
> simmering here's an expanded version of what I sent to Margo.
>
> My personal take on cooking snap beans (as we called 'em in central
> Louisiana) via the old, boil-'em-till-they-die method is that this
> was a near-necessity to make the old varieties palatable.  For
> economic reasons the beans were often picked only when they were
> 'full-grown' at which time they were also pretty tough. The preferred
> seasoning was to cook them with a ham hock or other cured pork; the
> po' folks usually used salt pork because that was the cheapest meat
> available ['twas called "dry salt meat", was mostly fat, & sold for 5
> cents a pound when I worked at Hunter Bros. Blue Star Store in the
> 1940's!].
>
> The newer tender bean cultivars [especially if picked young] turn to
> mush if  cooked more than 20 minutes or so. If you want to synthesize
> the old time dish,  use the largest fresh or frozen beans you can
> find [not canned; these are already overcooked, IMHO!].  Fry 1/4 lb
> or so of bacon, ham hock, ham, or salt pork per lb. of beans until
> slightly browned, then put in the beans, cover with water, bring to
> the boil, and simmer until the beans are tender. Some people add a
> small onion and (of course!) one or more hot pepper pods [hey, this
> ain't entirely OT]; some add a little vinegar [a T or so].   We still
> cook' em this way when the beans have been left overlong on the vines
> & I'm feeling too chintzy to throw 'em to the chickens!
>
> Here's how I cook young, tender,fresh-picked beans:  Leave whole,
> only removing the tips.  About a lb. of beans go into a large [14"]
> black-iron skillet with 2 T bacon grease [or butter], 1/2 a medium
> onion, chopped, and 1 or 2 habaneros [or 3 or 4 Jalapenos, or Datils]
> chopped fine. Heat until it sizzles vigorously, stir, turn down the
> heat to medium-low, cover, and steam for about 10 minutes, stirring
> every 3 or 4 minutes.  Remove and serve when the beans are slightly
> limp but still crunchy.  I *think* this is what Rael calls
> 'steam-saute'ing & it's close to stir-frying. If you can find
> purple-pod beans, they are ready about 3 minutes after they have
> turned all-green from thew heat.  If you want to make this a
> 'company' dish, add 1/4 C chopped pecans about 5 minutes before the
> cooking has ended.
>
> To all Members of the Approximately Noble Order of the Torrified Tongue,
> Happy Holidays!
>
> Gene
>
>
> *************************************************
> *  F. Eugene (Gene) Dunnam *
> *  Gator Slide Farm *
> *  104 SE 138 Ave. <dunnam@phys.ufl.edu> *
> *  Micanopy, FL 32667   (352) 466-3538 *
> * <http://www.phys.ufl.edu/~dunnam/Welcome.html>*
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>