[Highfield]

Am eating them as fast as we can and the surplus of course if going in the freezer. Has anyone got a gadget for slicing them though? I have a little multi bladed thing on the end of a peeler but it is small and fiddly and quite hard work! Might be a bit old and blunt though - a bit like me 

I looked at things that strings them too but mine don't need that at the moment and just wondered if anyone here can recommend before I splash out - anything to speed the process!

[Ice]

I string mine with a potato peeler and use a very sharp knife to slice them.

[mumofstig]

Over the years i've tried a fair few of the bean slicer thingies and never found a good one
I use v sharp knife the same as Ice, doesn't take any longer than fiddling with a gadget would

[willowman]

Over the years i've tried a fair few of the bean slicer thingies and never found a good one
I use v sharp knife the same as Ice, doesn't take any longer than fiddling with a gadget would

And probably a lot easier to clean!

[titch]

just bought a krisk one from lakeland - superb - even did the tough ones - a little shy of £3 and i love it
just done a whole bucket full, prepped ready to freeze in around 10 mins

easy to clean too - there is a link to the lakeland site on here somewhere - have a look and see what you think

[PAULW]

This is a very good machine

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/krisk-bean-slicer/F/keyword/bean+slicer/product/3410

[Ice]

The problem with the Krisk is that it strings every bean and not all of them need it.  Also, runner beans are meant to be cut in diamond shapes not long thin strips.

Titch, did you blanche the beans first?  Are you planning on using them soon?

[Paul Plots]

The problem with the Krisk is that it strings every bean and not all of them need it.  Also, runner beans are meant to be cut in diamond shapes not long thin strips.

Titch, did you blanche the beans first?  Are you planning on using them soon?

My mother has an old Kenwood Chef mixer and it has various attachments one of which is for shelling peas and slicing beans. It is very fast and does a good job but no diamond cuts...

The pea sheller is not so successful unless you are quick off the mark putting your hand over the feed-end. If you delay lots of peas escape back out the way they came like emerald bullets!

Blanching? My wife isn't keen on freezing vegetables of any type - loss of nutritional value being the reason. While she was out today I checked on the internet and read that blanching helps veg retain a good degree of nutrient which would otherwise be lost when freezing and then cooking.

I didn't experiment as I was put off by the instruction to use a bowl of ice to rapidly cool the beans before drying, packing and freezing.

I need a precise and easy to follow method if there is such a thing. Any pointers would be gratefully received 

[Ice]

I put the veg into boiling water, let it come back to the boil and leave for one minute.  Strain, fill sink with cold water and put veg in.  No ice.  Strain, lay on a towel (the veg not me), pat the top with another towel and leave to dry.

[Paul Plots]

I put the veg into boiling water, let it come back to the boil and leave for one minute.  Strain, fill sink with cold water and put veg in.  No ice.  Strain, lay on a towel (the veg not me), pat the top with another towel and leave to dry.

How very often do people tell you that you are lovely Ice??  Loads, I hope!!!!

Thanks...... next time my OH nips out to the shops I am going to get blanching and fill the garage freezer with all those lovely beans that I've grown now I know that I don't need glacier loads of ice. Thanks   

[Ice]

No-one has told me I am lovely in a very long time.

[titch]

The problem with the Krisk is that it strings every bean and not all of them need it.  Also, runner beans are meant to be cut in diamond shapes not long thin strips.

Titch, did you blanche the beans first?  Are you planning on using them soon?

after processing them with the krisk thingy i blanched and froze about 1/2 bucket, the other half were a bit big and tougher so used them to make runner bean pickle/chutney stuff - figured some long cooking might sort them out.
i love runners, they are my faves so have grown loads on the lottie and also have some int he garden that are a bit behind the lottie ones - picked some fresh ones today for the weekend, trying not to let them get too big !!

at first i wasnt sure about the long thin strips it shreds them into but have had them like that before so sure it will be ok, i can cope with them being cut differently than ussual but carrots is a whole other story ha ha 

[Ice]

Now I'm the opposite.  Runners HAVE to be cut in diamond shapes.  Carrots have more scope, batons, rounds, diagonals, shreds etc.   Each to their own.

[Paul Plots]

When it comes to runners it depends how I'm cooking them...

Stir-fry = diamonds (or cross cut lumps, anyway).
Steaming = usually sliced cutting upwards from underneath as I find it quickest

Carrots = latest advice to retain best nutritional value is not to chop, slice or anything else until after they are cooked as this helps preserve food value (vitamin, I think).

I guess it's all a matter of personal prefence - maybe even following family traits / habits. 

[Chappers]

This is a very good machine

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/krisk-bean-slicer/F/keyword/bean+slicer/product/3410

Great bit of kit , be careful they are very very sharp.