Boil beans ahead of time then reheat in the garlic/butter mixture. Always run cold water over green vegetables to stop the cooking. This also helps them retain their colour. 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil on high heat. Add beans and boil until crisp-tender, about 2 to 4 minutes. Alternately, steam beans for about 5 minutes, until crisp-tender. 2. Drain beans and refresh under cold running water. 3. Heat butter and garlic together in skillet on medium heat. Toss in beans and saute until beans are hot and coated with mixture. Season with salt and pepper.