Cleaning and Preparation

• Thoroughly clean string beans in cold water, rubbing away any dirt. Snip off the stem end of the bean either with scissors or a knife, or simply snap it with your fingers. The titular string that joins the two walls of the bean pod largely has been bred out of modern varieties. Heirloom varieties, more common among home gardens and smaller farmers, still have the string, which should be pulled away when removing the stem.

Salads and Slaws

• String beans work well as both the stars and supporting characters of salads and slaws. Cut in half a variety of string beans such as yellow wax, green and purple snap, add finely diced red onion and chopped basil, and toss with a simple creamy dressing and lemon juice. Alternatively, shave string beans into thin slices using a vegetable peeler or mandoline, toss them with a few teaspoons of caraway or celery seeds and dress them with an oil-and-vinegar coleslaw dressing. For a festive summer salad, slice green beans into small coins and add diced cherry tomatoes and mozzarella; mix them with minced garlic, basil, salt, oil and balsamic vinegar. Vary your raw-bean salad and slaw by adding chopped bacon, roasted nuts or a different dressing.

Quick Pickles

• Quick pickle the vegetables to add kick to string beans. While some quick-pickling recipes call for cooking the pickling liquid, you can achieve a similar sharp, vinegary flavor via a simple refrigerator method. Whisk 1 part sugar and 1 1/2 parts kosher salt with 8 parts apple cider vinegar until the solids dissolve. Add red pepper flakes if desired. Pour enough of the mixture over raw string beans in a jar or bowl to cover the vegetable. Use a lid or plastic wrap to cover the container and let the beans sit at room temperature for one hour. Refrigerate any extra pickled beans for up to three days.

Oil and Spice

• Treat raw string beans simply to celebrate their crunch and flavor. Toss the beans in a flavorful oil such as a high-quality olive infused with chili or Meyer lemon. Sprinkle them with sea salt or Himalayan pink salt and freshly ground pepper. Alternatively, lightly coat the beans with olive oil and stir in one to two teaspoons of ground cumin, curry powder, dill, marjoram, nutmeg or tarragon. Try tossing string beans with sesame oil and freshly minced or grated ginger for a savory-spicy kick. Top fish or chicken with a simple mixture of raw diced string beans, corn kernels and diced tomatoes lightly coated in olive oil and seafood or chicken seasoning.

Divine Dips

• Raw string beans make a tasty vehicle for your favorite dip. Mix equal parts plain yogurt, mayonnaise and sour cream with white-wine vinegar and Dijon or coarse-grained mustard to taste. Spice up the dip with mashed roasted garlic, crushed aniseed or minced herbs. Serve alone or with other raw vegetables.