Green beans are showing up at farmers markets and it’s always good to have a new recipe on hand for cooking up the new crop.
Green beans are the perennial side dish for chicken, fish or steaks, but they don’t have to be served hot. Green bean salads are easy and just right for summer get-togethers because they taste great at room temperature or cold, and will feed a crowd.
Next time you have a cookout, try out this green bean salad that is flavored with crumbled feta cheese, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. Don’t hesitate to cut the recipe in half if you aren’t feeding as many.
— Lisa Abraham
BALSAMIC GREEN BEAN SALAD
2 lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces
¼ cup olive oil
3 tbsp. lemon juice
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. ground mustard
⅛ tsp. pepper
1 large red onion, chopped
4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup (4 oz.) crumbled feta cheese
Place beans in a Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately place beans in ice water. Drain and pat dry.
In a small bowl, whisk the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, garlic powder, mustard and pepper. Drizzle over beans. Add the onion; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, stir in tomatoes and cheese.
Makes 16 servings.
Find previous installments of This Week’s Harvest and a list of local farmers markets at http://www.ohio.com/lifestyle/food.
