Green Beans with Vinaigrette

I've made these beans about half a dozen times this summer and every time it has met with very favourable reviews. And why not? The beans are crunchy and the vinaigrette is light with just the right amount of bite.

The key, I believe, is to cook the beans for no more than 1 minute. I follow this religiously. I bring the water to the boil, set the timer and dump the beans in. Just before 1 minute, I get ready.

At 1 minute I drain the beans into a colander and start running cold water over them. Then I toss the beans into a bowl and keep the cold water running. This stops the cooking process dead in its tracks  - and that's the secret to the crunchy beans.

Krista found the original recipe in an Ina Garten cookbook. I have experimented with different vinegars and prefer the dressing with the addition of Worcestershire sauce. 

The original recipe said to dump the beans into a bowl of water with ice in it. I guess you could do that, but I am never that organized. I just keep changing the water and making sure the beans get cold as quickly as possible.

Green Beans with Vinaigrette

1-1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and cleaned

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp vinegar (plain white or red wine or white balsamic vinegars have all worked for me)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped*
dash of Worcestershire sauce
salt & pepper, to taste

Beans

Bring a pot of water to boil. 

Toss in beans and cook for 1 minute.

Drain the beans immediately and either

1. Rinse under cold water then immerse in cold water 

OR

2. Have a bowl of ice water handy and immerse the beans until they are completely cool.

Drain the cold water once they are cool.

 

Dressing

Whisk together  the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, salt, pepper and dill until it looks kind of creamy. (Or in fancy-talk - until it's emulsified.)

 

Pour enough dressing on the beans to moisten them. 

(Save leftover dressing for another day or a salad.)

Serve at room temperature.

 

They are also good the next day, cold from the fridge.

*In a  pinch, I have substituted chopped shallots for the dill. In fact, for these photos, I used shallot because I didn't have any dill.

This recipe can easily be halved.

A simple vinaigrette, and just right for these beans!

In the absence of a bowl of ice water, drain the beans and immediately start rinsing with cold water.

The pot you boiled the beans in will be hot so soak them in a different pot or bowl and keep them in very cold water until completely cool.
I change the water a couple of times over the course of a minute or two.
The idea is to stop them from cooking ASAP.