Top | Annie Somerville
Green Beans and Shelling Beans with Cherry Tomatoes
(recipe, Annie Somerville)
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Introduction
Young shelling beans — available at farmers’ markets throughout the summer months — are the big deal here, cooked until completely tender and dressed warm, so they soak up the sharp Champagne vinaigrette. You can use different varieties of beans; just be sure to cook them separately, as the cooking time will vary with their size.
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 2 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar
- ½ Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp. salt
- Pinch of pepper
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salad
- ½ lb. shelling beans: cranberry, cannellini, or flageolet, shelled, about ¾ cup beans
- ½ lb. fresh summer beans: yellow wax, Blue Lake, or Romano beans, stem ends trimmed and cut in half on the diagonal
- ½ cup ripe, little cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley or ½ teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
- Salt and pepper
- Champagne vinegar
Steps
- Make the vinaigrette: Combine everything but the oil in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil until emulsified. Set aside.
- Make the salad: Bring a small pot of water to a boil and drop in the shelling beans. Lower the heat to a gentle boil and cook until completely tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Taste the beans to be sure they’re ready before you drain them. Drain and toss in a large bowl with half of the vinaigrette and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
- Bring a medium-size pot of water to a boil and salt lightly. Cook the fresh beans separately, allowing 2 to 3 minutes for green beans, 4 to 6 minutes for yellow wax, and 6 to 8 minutes for large Romano beans. Scoop them from the water with a strainer; rinse under cold water and drain.
- Toss the fresh beans into the shelling beans along with the remaining vinaigrette and the herbs. Just before serving, add the tomatoes and season to taste with salt, pepper, and a splash of vinegar, if needed.
Note
If shelling beans aren’t available, just make the salad without them and increase the cherry tomatoes to a full cup.