Wash the beans, top and tail them
and place them in a saucepan. Season with salt and cover with
boiling water. Boil for no more than 8 minutes,
until the beans are just tender. Do not overcook, or they will
become too soft and lose color. Better control can be maintained
if you use a microwave. Drain the beans and rinse with
cold or iced water to stop the beans and rinse with cold or iced
water to stop the beans cooking any further. If you slightly undercook the
beans, this step in the preparation can be done well ahead. Just before serving, melt the
butter in a saucepan and toss the beans in it until well coated and
hot. Sprinkle with the parsley and
serve.
Serves 4
For best results, choose very small crisp beans. It is
not always easy to find them in the shops, so why not try to grown your
own.
