It’s hard for me to pass up fresh green beans at the market in the Summer. I love their fresh & snappy taste. So, when I saw them proudly displayed at the front of the produce section, I picked up a bag. Even though they were not on my shopping list and I had no specific recipe calling for green beans picked out, I bought them anyway. Fortunately, I readily found not one but two recipes to use them in and all the additional ingredients were items we always have on hand.

The first of the two recipes we made was a green bean salad, served cold. A tangy combination of feta cheese, red onion and mint are tossed with the beans and dressed with a simple vinaigrette. The result is a wonderfully quick side dish with a surprising complex flavor profile!

Green Bean Salad with Feta and Mint

Green Bean Salad with Feta & Mint (adapted from saveur.com) Total Time Required: 20 minutes, Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 5 minutes, Chill Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients:

• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound green beans, ends trimmed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 8 ounces feta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cups cup mint leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

Fill a large bowl with ice water. In a pot of generously salted water, boil the beans until they are tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Cook the green beans.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to the ice water. Let them sit for 5 minutes, then pour the beans into a colander to drain, tossing to remove as much water as possible. Discard any unmelted ice cubes.

Transfer the beans to a bowl of ice water.

To a large salad bowl, add the oil, vinegar, and garlic, with salt and black pepper to taste. Whisk the dressing together until it has a sheen to it and is thickened slightly.

Combine the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Add the feta, mint, red onion, and reserved beans to the bowl and toss it all together to coat.

Add the feta, mint, and red onion to the bowl . . .

. . . along with the green beans.

Serve immediately.

This makes a great side dish for steak, chicken, fish . . .

Fresh produce makes so many great Summer meals! ~Linda

Green Bean Salad with Feta & Mint (adapted from saveur.com) Total Time Required: 20 minutes, Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 5 minutes, Chill Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients:

• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound green beans, ends trimmed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 8 ounces feta, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cups cup mint leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

Fill a large bowl with ice water. In a pot of generously salted water, boil the beans until they are tender, about 3-4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to the ice water. Let them sit for 5 minutes, then pour the beans into a colander to drain, tossing to remove as much water as possible. Discard any unmelted ice cubes.

To a large salad bowl, add the oil, vinegar, and garlic, with salt and black pepper to taste. Whisk the dressing together until it has a sheen to it and is thickened slightly. Add the feta, mint, red onion, and reserved beans to the bowl and toss it all together to coat. Serve immediately.