Ingredients Jump to Instructions ↓

  1. 1 pound yellow wax beans, fresh or frozen

  2. 5 - 10 gherkins (sweet pickles)

  3. 1/4 c. chopped onion

  4. 1/2 c. cream

  5. 1 T. white wine vinegar

  6. 1 tsp. mustard

  7. 1/8 tsp. dried savory

  8. 1/2 tsp. sugar, or to taste

  9. Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions Jump to Ingredients ↑

  1. Wash and pick over the beans and cut or snap off the ends. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Boil or steam until al dente, then cool in ice water. Let cool completely or chill.

  2. If using frozen beans, steam or boil until al dente. For canned beans (1 can) drain and use immediately.

  3. Chop the pickles. Finely chop the onion. Mix in a bowl with the beans.

  4. Mix the dressing from the cream, vinegar, mustard, savory, sugar and salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings.

  5. Pour dressing over the vegetables and mix. Refrigerate until serving. This can be made a few hours ahead and is better after it sits awhile.

  6. Notes: Sweet Gherkins come close to "Gewuerzgurken," which is what you would use in Germany. They areunder ripe cucumbers, pickled in a sweet-sour brine together with spices such as whole mustard, onion, pepper, and sometimes dill. German "Gewürzgurken" taste a bit different than the ones sold in the US and you can find them online, for instance here .

  7. Beans are full of good nutrition but you should use them as soon after picking as possible because they do not keep well. So plan on serving them early in the week after you shop or receive them in your CSA box. If you cannot eat them that week, blanch and freeze them for later, following these instructions (also, video here ).

  8. Summer Savory is known as "Bohnenkraut" in German, because it complements beans so well that it in most bean recipes. Summer Savory, is best fresh, but since it is hard to locate in the US, dried will work. In a pinch, use a little dried thyme, instead.


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