Green beans

Simmer trimmed green beans in boiling water for 4–6 minutes, until tender but still slightly crisp, then drain. Steam them for about 5–7 minutes; thicker beans may need a little longer.

Snap or cut off the stem end, which can be tough; the pointed tail is usually tender and can stay on. If the beans have a string along the seam, pull it away as you trim.

A few raw green beans are generally fine, but cooking them is the safer choice: raw beans contain lectins, which heat breaks down. Boil or steam them until tender rather than eating a large portion raw.

Keep them unwashed in a loosely closed bag in the fridge’s vegetable drawer, and use them within about 3–5 days. Wash and trim them just before cooking so they stay crisp in storage.

Blanch trimmed beans in boiling water for 2–3 minutes, then plunge them into iced water and dry thoroughly. Freeze them in a single layer before packing; cook from frozen to help them keep their texture.

They pair well with garlic, lemon, olive oil, toasted almonds and tomatoes. Add them to a Niçoise salad, a stir-fry or a casserole, or serve them alongside roast meat or fish.

No. Green beans are the young, edible pods of the bean plant, usually eaten whole; haricot beans are mature, dried seeds that need soaking or longer cooking. Haricot beans have 9.08 g protein per 100 g, compared with 2.2 g in green beans.