Green Bean Salad

It's Memorial Day, which means it's time to start planting, wearing white pants and mixing up some simple salads. This weekend typically kicks off the summer and the barbecues get fired up for the first time in many months. There is nothing better than sitting outside with family and friends enjoying the smell of the grill and eating a crisp and cold salad.

A green bean salad is the perfect side dish to any meal, be it outdoors or in. I like tossing fresh green beans with all sorts of fun stuff, be it cucumber lemons, pineapple and mango, potatoes, or just simply really good extra virgin olive oil, fresh chopped basil and cherry tomatoes. Here is my recipe for green bean salad...

Serves 6

1 lb fresh green beans, washed and picked (snap the end off)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, washed and cut in half
1 garlic clove, peeled and cut in half
salt
pepper
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Blanch the green beans in boiling, salted water. I typically blanch mine for 5-7 minutes, to keep them crisp and green. Shock the beans in an ice water bath to stop the from cooking. Overcooked beans with turn to mush and also lose their brightness. Strain the beans from the ice bath and dry on a clean kitchen towel. You want the beans to be dry, so the oil with stick to them. While the beans are still warm, season with salt and pepper then add the tomatoes, oil and mint. Gently toss everything together. Serve right from the fridge or at room temp. You can also use yellow wax beans, which when in season are delicious. Enjoy!