Bring a medium pot or 3-4" deep skillet filled ⅔ with water to a boil over high heat. Add one teaspoon salt.
Add 1 pound green beans to the boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Pro-Tip: Fish out a green bean with kitchen tongs so you can taste it to be sure it's cooked the way you like.
Drain the blanched beans well in a colander.
HOW TO SEASON GREEN BEANS:
Place the pot on the burner over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1-2 large cloves garlic, minced and heat until butter is melted and garlic is fragrant about 1 minute.
Transfer the beans to the pot and add 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Toss the beans with the tongs to coat them with seasonings. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy.
Notes
Notes:Adding cold beans to the water will lower the temperature and stop the water from boiling. Bring the beans up to a boil, and once the water starts boiling again, cook the beans for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender.To test for doneness, use a pair of tongs to retrieve a bean from the pot and bite into it. It should be firm but not hard -- and shouldn't squeak when you chew it.