Steaming rather than boiling beans helps preserve the Vitamin C (purple green beans contain Vitamins A, C, K and folic acid) and also prevents the beans from going mushy. Clean the beans. Add water and a steamer to the pot. Bring water to a boil, then add beans. Close the lid. Hover around the pot and keep a close eye on the steaming process so the vegetables don’t go mushy. One more way to keep the integrity of the beans is to dunk the cooked beans in cold water or run cold water over the beans post steaming. Dressing the beans makes for a delightful way to experience steamed vegetables. In this version I dressed the beans in sautéed garlic, finely diced celery and finely chopped flat leaf parsley.Turn the heat to high. Let the pot heat, add olive oil and then add diced garlic and celery. Add steamed beans. Take the pot off the heat immediately. Add parsley, add salt and pepper and toss. Delicious!
