Farm to Fork: Yard Long Beans
Beans in summer in Southwest Florida? These aren’t your typical green beans, which need cooler temperatures for success.
Instead, they are purple yard long beans, specifically, the Thai Purple Podded Yard Long Bean. Vigorous, and thanks to Thailand, very heat tolerant, these beans come from the gardens at Rosy Tomorrows Heritage Farm. The pods can grow up to 20 inches long and are a gorgeous deep purple color with pale green tips.
Unlike regular green beans, which can become limp and soft when exposed to high heat, yard long beans are perfect for stir-fries, able to withstand high heat and still retain their crispness. The flavor is mild, like a sweeter green bean, which makes it an excellent partner for the heat and spice of hot peppers or chiles.
Spicy Stir-Fried Long Beans with Peanuts
| 1 1/2 | pounds long beans |
| 1/2 | cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts |
| 2 | teaspoons soy sauce or coconut aminos |
| 2-3 | small fresh Thai chiles, to taste, finely chopped |
| 1/2 | teaspoon salt |
| 1 1/2 | teaspoons peanut oil |
| 1 | tablespoon chopped garlic |
| 1 | large shallot, thinly sliced |
| 2 | tablespoons fresh lime juice |
- Cook untrimmed beans in 6-8 quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, stirring occasionally until just tender, 3-5 minutes.
- Transfer with tongs to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain in a colander and pat dry with paper towels.
- Trim beans and cut crosswise into 3/4 inch pieces.
- Pulse peanuts in a food processor until about half of the peanuts are finely ground and the remainder are in large pieces.
- Stir together soy sauce, chiles, and salt in a small bowl.
- Heat wok over high heat until a bead of water dropped onto cooking surface evaporates immediately.
- Add oil, swirling to coat wok, then add garlic and stir-fry until garlic begins to turn pale and golden, about 5 seconds.
- Add peanuts and stir-fry until mixture is golden, about 30 seconds.
- Add beans, and stir-fry until hot and well coated, about 2 minutes.
- Remove wok from heat, then stir in soy sauce mixture and shallot, stirring until shallot has wilted.
- Drizzle in lime juice and season with salt. Transfer to a bowl and serve warm or at room temperature.
Source: Epicurious.com, originally published in Gourmet magazine, May 2006. Photo: Anne Reed/ The News-Press
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