Green Bean Salad w/ Tomatoes & Herbs

Green Bean Salad w/ Tomatoes & Herbs

Green Bean Salad w/ Tomatoes & HerbsInspiration from the July Garden

Last week we celebrated the first raspberries. We enjoyed them unadorned, delighting in their succulence and flavor. This week we’ve felt equally content eating just-picked green beans, fresh tomatoes and herbs in an improvised Green Bean Salad. All inspired by a hanging garden of green beans and our first few ripe and luscious tomatoes. Garden arugula, local goat cheese and farm-fresh eggs round out the salad with additional body, flavor, color and nutrients.

Loving Our Fresh Green Beans

Picking and eating these incredibly crisp, sweet and tender green beans fresh from the garden inspired this green bean salad. I used them raw as just picked they have the most wonderful sweetness along with their snappiness. So different from the (equally wonderful) silken texture and flavor green beans develop after a short blanching in boiling water.

BTW remove only the stem from green beans. No need to remove the other end unless it’s brown and curled.

Local farm-fresh eggs

Our local organic goat dairy also raises chickens. With deep golden-yolks, these eggs truly taste and look fabulous. Green Bean Salad w/ Tomatoes & HerbsHard-boiled, they make a colorful and tasty addition to this Green Bean Salad.

7 Steps for perfect hard-boiled eggs
Like you, I’ve tried any number of methods for cooking hard-boiled eggs. From starting them in cold or boiling water and either simmering them or leaving them to sit in the hot water. From the best of these methods, I’ve developed these tried-and-true steps for perfect hard-boiled eggs:

  1. Place the eggs in cold, salted water to cover.
  2. Bring the water to a boil over high heat.
  3. Cover the pan and turn off the heat.
  4. Set a timer for 10 minutes.
  5. Drain off the hot water.
  6. Shake the pan to crack the egg shells.
  7. Cover the eggs with ice water.

Peeling your perfect hard-boiled eggs

Here’s a new-to-me trick for peeling eggs from Cook’s Illustrated. Start peeling hard-boiled eggs at their wide end where there’s an air bubble. By peeling this end first, you can more easily remove the thin membrane under the shell—key to effortlessly peeling your perfect hard-boiled eggs.

When life gives you green beans . . . Green Bean Salad w/ Tomatoes & Herbs make salads, stews and sides.

Green Bean Salad w/ Tomatoes & Herbs Green Bean Salad w/ Tomatoes & Herbs

Inspired by the delightfully crisp, tender and sweet green beans in our July garden. Prepare Green Bean Salad with either raw and just-picked or quickly blanched beans.

2 servings as an entrée salad                    Printer-friendly recipes
3-4 servings as a side salad
Active Time:  20 minutes

Ingredients

3-4 tomatoes depending on their size, one sliced and the others cut into wedgesGreen Bean Salad w/ Tomatoes & Herbs
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 pound fresh green beans, stems removed
1½ cups fresh arugula or watercress, large stems removed
¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Two tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon thinly sliced fresh chives
Leaves from three sprigs of fresh thyme
Leaves from a sprig of Greek oregano, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup crumbled feta or grated or shaved pecorino
8 pitted Kalamata olives
2-4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

INstructions
  1. Green Bean Salad w/ Tomatoes & HerbsPlace the tomatoes on a dish and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Let the tomatoes marinate while you prepare the rest of the salad ingredients.
  2. Blanch the green beans by dropping them into boiling water. After 4 minutes drain and transfer them to ice water to stop their cooking. Drain and dry the beans.
  3. To assemble the salad, place the sliced tomatoes on the bottom of a platter or individual plates.
  4. Green Bean Salad w/ Tomatoes & Herbs Toss together the beans, tomato wedges, arugula, and 3/4th of the herbs in the balsamic vinegar remaining with the tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the olive oil.
  5. Arrange this mixture on top of the sliced tomatoes. Dot with the cheese and Kalamata olives.
  6. Quarter the eggs and arrange them around the salad.
  7. Sprinkle the Green Bean & Tomato Herb Salad with the remaining herbs and additional salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

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16 thoughts on “Green Bean Salad w/ Tomatoes & Herbs”

  1. Another easy way to peal hard-boiled eggs is to begin pealing, then slip a spoon, maybe with some oil on it, in between the membrane and the egg and go around the egg until the egg simply pops out.

  2. Thanks for the great recipes. I have been trying to eat in a more healthy manner, and this site is my go-to place for recipes>

  3. Hi Janice,
    Great new comments/tips from subscriber Pam.
    Your new photo reminds me of a cameo.
    Just beautiful.
    As we all know you are.
    /s

  4. Hi Janice,

    My success rate at peeling eggs has definitely improved since following your method. Cracking the eggs in the pan, then adding ice water seems to be the key. It lubricates inside the egg shell without damaging the flesh.
    On another note, this green bean salad is fabulous! I made it on the fly so didn’t have all the fresh herbs the recipe calls for. So I added a bit more basil and I am amazed how the basil made all the flavors pop. I also used Series 7 balsamic vinegar from Olivelles; I recommend trying it as it doesn’t have that hard bitter bite more traditional balsamics can have.
    I’ve been making the watermelon salad with Serrano peppers and goat cheese for every summer event I’ve attended. It always gets rave reviews except for one time when the watermelon was bland. I added some date sugar to sweeten it up, but it tasted like a dish that the cook tries to salvage from a disaster. There is just no substitute for vibrant, fresh and flavorful raw ingredients.
    I also want to say that yours is the Go To’ website whenever I need a good recipe for an elegant occasion. Most of my friends have high standards, have been cooking for years and have discriminating taste buds. Your recipes never fail and are often the evening’s hit. (By the way, I make your macaroon cookies frequently. I turn them into chocolate macaroons with 1/2 C cocoa and a bit more sweetener. Delicious!!!)

    1. Pam, your comments make my heart sing. I am so pleased you continue to have such great success with these recipes. And I love how you make them your own. And totally agree about the importance of your ingredients.
      Thanks for your tips on Series 7 balsamic vinegar and adding cocoa powder to make chocolate macaroons. I was wondering what I would bring to an event on Friday night–chocolate macaroons might be perfect, or perhaps the watermelon salad or a Greek Salad (recipe to come as soon as my tomatoes ripen). Such abundance this time of year, it’s difficult to decide.
      Keep on cooking. . . .

  5. What a lovely salad, I planted my beans on the late side so I have to wait a bit…

    I use the same method to hard boil my eggs, sometimes I use a pressure cooker (which works brilliantly but kind of bulky to use).

    If I’m not serving my eggs whole, I don’t bother peeling the traditional way. I cut the egg in half and scoop out the egg with a small spoon (get for egg salad).

    BTW, I’ll have to make sure and save the broccoli flowers (read that in a comment response),haven’t tried that. What a pretty idea!

  6. Hi Janice,
    Looks and sounds wonderful.
    Now that our garden has been ‘fed’ this summer we have beautiful tomatoes; beans and zucchini almost ready. Looking forward to putting them in a salad.
    Your finished salad photo is gorgeous!

    Wondering abut the masthead photo – what are the little ‘flowers’ – almost looks like broccolini ends that I usually throw out thinking they are ‘old’?

    Ditto to other comments re your ‘tips’.
    A definite ‘show and tell’ extra.

    Thank you again for sharing your knowledge and love of cooking and creating with all of us.
    Special kudos to Paul for his watrmelon hints as well.
    Love,
    /s

    1. Thank you, Sharon, you are most welcome.
      How exciting that you have tomatoes, beans and zucchini almost ready for picking. I believe you’ll enjoy this salad with its Mediterranean flavors.
      First off, don’t throw away those little yellow broccolini flowers, they are quite edible and taste just like the plant.
      As for the flowers in the photo, they are tiny thyme flowers. So cute that I let some of the thyme flower.
      I’ll pass on your special kudos to Paul–he’ll like knowing he’s helped others find sweet and juicy watermelons.

  7. everything looks sooo delicious and inviting. I look forward to your blog whenever you send it.
    thank you for sharing .
    Kathleen

  8. Janice, I want you to know how much I appreciate your special “tips”. I have improved my watermelon picking skills 100% by following your tips on proper selection. I’m getting the juiciest and sweetest melons in the bunch.
    I think I’ll go make a hard boiled egg just to see how much I can improve taste, texture and peeling ability.
    You’re the best!

    1. Thank you, Pam, I so appreciate your comments.
      It’s so wonderful to read about your success in picking watermelons–definitely a skill worth having. My husband, Paul, smiled broadly when I shared your success with him, for you may remember that a number of the tips were from him.
      When you have a moment, let me know how your hard-boiled egg came out.

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