Pick through the green beans and discard any that are withered or discolored. This simple cooking method is suitable for only the freshest of beans.
I prefer to leave green beans whole, they make such a great finger food when left at their full length. But to serve at dinner, you might want to cut them into 3-inch pieces.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Drop the green beans into the boiling water. Bring back to a full boil and cook, uncovered, until the beans are just tender, about 5 minutes. But start checking after 3 minutes (use a fork to take one out of the pot and taste. Careful - they'll be hot!).
Drain the green beans into a colander, shake them dry, and season with kosher salt. You can use other seasonings of course, and a generous pat of butter on top of the hot green beans is heavenly. But really, when they are fresh, they only need brief boiling and some salt.
Video
Notes
It's really important that the beans remain firm - soft and limp will not do. So take care not to overcook them. When properly cooked, they are so inherently tasty, that the only seasoning they need is some coarse kosher salt and maybe a pat of butter.