Green beans and bacon make a tasty pair. With green beans at the peak of their summer season, I fill a bag of the most slender and tender beans I spy nearly every week. I keep them interesting week over week by switching up the flavor profile each time I prepare them.
Here’s my green bean take on a classic Italian salad of asparagus and hard boiled eggs. It’s tasty at room temperature immediately following preparation; and refreshing as leftovers after overnight in the ‘fridge. Locally grown green beans will remain available throughout this month and next; plenty of time to take this idea for a spin!
A couple advance tips:
- Do not overcook the beans when blanching them. It is literally a plunge for them into boiling water, just until they all turn bright green. Then drain them into a colander, and another plunge into a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking. They should retain their bright green color and remain crisp.
- Prepare the dressing first and let the diced shallots marinate in it while preparing the salad. This will mellow the shallots and impart their garlicky-oniony flavors fully into the dressing.
Green Bean Salad with Bacon and Eggs
Serves 4 as a side dish; 2 as a light luncheon main dish
INGREDIENTS
For the dressing:
- 1/ 4 cup finely diced shallots
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 2 tablespoons full-flavored olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/ 4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of sea salt
For the salad:
- 1 pound fresh green beans, preferably slender and tender
- 4 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
- 2 eggs, hard-boiled and finely diced
- Optional: 1/ 4 cup flat-leafed parsley or basil, finely chopped
PREPARATION
For the dressing:
Measure the Dijon mustard, salt and pepper into a small bowl. Add the sherry vinegar and stir to combine. Slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream, while whisking to incorporate and emulsify. Add the finely diced shallots and set aside.
For the salad:
Fill a 2-quart saucepan with about 1-inch of water. Add a teaspoon of salt to season and bring to a rapid boil on the stovetop. Meanwhile, remove the stems from the beans, rinse well in a medium sized colander and set aside. Also fill a large mixing bowl with cold water to about the mid-way point. Add a few handfuls of ice to chill, and set aside.
Once the water on the stove is boiling, add the green beans. Stir the beans to ensure even cooking. Watch for them to turn bright green, about 1 or 2 minutes; then remove the pan from the heat, drain the beans in the colander then plunge them into the ice water to ensure the cooking is stopped. Change the water and/or add more ice as needed to get them completely cooled. Drain the beans, shaking off excess water. Spread the beans onto a few paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to dry further. Place the beans into a large bowl, and toss them with the dressing. Add optional herbs and toss again.
Plate the beans onto a serving dish. Arrange the bacon and eggs atop – enjoy.
