Published November 1, 2001.
For a green bean recipe that would require no last-minute preparation, we blanched the beans to ensure a crisp texture, then refrigerated them for up to three days. When the rest of our meal was ready, we could toss the beans in a hot skillet with a simple butter sauce just before serving.
To blanch, dress, and serve the beans without holding them first in the refrigerator, increase the blanching time to 5 to 6 minutes and don’t bother shocking them in ice water. Instead, quickly arrange the warm beans on a serving platter and top with the sauce you’ve prepared as the beans blanch.
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