How to cook fresh green beans?

Question

How do you cook vegetables restaurant style, where the vegetables stay crisp? Whenever I microwave vegetables they become soggy.

Answer 1

you can place the beans in salted boiling water for a few minutes. then remove and place immediately into an ice water bath. this will maintain both the crisp texture and the beatiful green color.

Answer 2

you can steam them either in a steamer or in a boiling skillet with water.  Don't cover them, leave them half covered.  You have to watch them, when they turn bright green they're done.  If you over cook, they'll become soggy.

The other way is to get some EVOO really hot in a pan, then throw in your green beans.  Toss them for a bit until they get bright green as well.  They should be fork soft but still crisp.  Personally, I like to throw in some hot pepper flakes and some garclic into the EVOO before I throw in the beans.

Answer 3

Throw them into a pot of boiling water and when the water returns to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes untill they are bright. Plunge into cold water to set the colour and to halt the cooking.  

Answer 4

Wash them and steam them for 13 minutes.

Answer 5

Either sate' them or steam.