Title: Beans with basil and chives
 Categories: Vegetables, Side dish
      Yield: 6 Servings
 
  1 1/2 lb Fresh green beans
    1/4 c  Olive oil
      1    Clove garlic, crushed
      1 tb Chopped chives
    1/4 c  Diced green pepper
    1/4 c  Diced red pepper
    1/4 c  Diced yellow pepper
    1/2 c  Boiling water
      1 ts Salt
      2 tb Fresh basil minced
    1/2 c  Grated Paremesan cheese
 
  For this dish, only use the freshest ingredients, and use only fresh
  herbs. If fresh herbs are not available, it simply will not be the
  same. For a nice aesthetic touch, reserve a teaspoon of each color of
  diced pepper and a few pinches of chopped chives. Also save a sprig
  or two of the fresh basil (the centerpiece that looks like a flower
  of leaves would do nicely). When the dish is placed in it's serving
  dish, sprinkle the peppers, and chives over the cheese and top with
  sprigs of basil.
  *********************************************************************
  You may use 3/4 cup diced green pepper instead of 1/4 cup of each
  green, red and yellow, or any combination thereof if the yellow
  and/or the red are not available, but they add a touch of color and
  distinction to the dish. Take fresh young beans and remove stem and
  any strings (the young ones shouldn't have much of a string to worry
  about).  Break them in half (or so the segments are a couple of
  inches long). Heat oil and garlic in a large frying pan (make sure it
  is large enough to hold all the beans). When the oil becomes hot, add
  the peppers and cook slowly for 3 minutes. Add the beans, water,
  salt, basil and chives and turn everything over until the herbs and
  peppers are well distributed over the beans. Cover and simmer until
  the beans have turned a bright green and are al'dente (tender but
  still crisp; which should take about 5 minutes). Mix in 1/4 cup
  cheese and sprinkle 1/4 cup on top.  If you've reserved some of the
  diced peppers, chives and whole basil leaves, garnish the top of the
  dish with these.