Snapping off the stems of the green beans. The tails you can leave on, no need to remove them. Cut them into 2 inch (bite sized) pieces. Rinse them well and place them in a microwave dish.
Add two tablespoons of water to the dish and microwave on high for four to five minutes. The exact time will depend on your microwave - check after 3 minutes and adjust the microwave time.
Remove from the microwave and sprinkle with a teaspoon of soy sauce and add a tablespoon of butter, letting it melt over the top. Top with a grind of fresh ground black pepper. Toss well and serve.
That's it - perfect and delicious every time! This is a great dish for the holidays too because you're not taking up valuable oven-space and if you keep the lid on the casserole dish the beans will stay warm until it's time to serve.
Notes
Steaming Green Beans 3 WaysStovetop - Add water to the bottom of a pan. Make tin foil balls and put a plate on top, adding the beans to a plate and steaming until crisp. Ovenor Grill - Wrap the beans in foil, add a bit of butter and a couple tablespoons of water to the packet and seal completely. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes until crisp tender. Microwave - the easiest method!Best tip - don't overcook the beans. They should be bright and crunchy!To dress these up for your holiday meal, finish with fresh lemon zest and freshly grated parmesan cheese and a handful of toasted almonds.