GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH MUSTARD DRESSING
Green beans seem to have replaced frozen peas as the ubiquitous all-year-round vegetable. This is a very simple way of jazzing them up during the summer months. Roasting the garlic brings out its natural sweetness so it has none of the astringency you find in the raw bulb.
Servings
8
Servings
8
Ingredients
FOR THE DRESSING
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Wrap the garlic for the dressing in foil and roast in the oven for 20–25 minutes until soft. Remove and leave to cool.
  3. Meanwhile, blanch the green beans by plunging them into plenty of boiling salted water for 1½ minutes until their rawness has been removed but they are still crunchy. Refresh immediately under cold running water, then drain and set aside.
  4. Lightly toast the almonds in a medium-hot dry frying pan for 2–3 minutes until golden. Leave to cool.
  5. Mix together the cooled beans and almonds with a little salt and pepper.
  6. Remove the flesh from the garlic heads and mash with 1 tablespoon of the white wine vinegar until a smooth paste is formed. Add the mustard and honey and mix well. Pour in the olive oil in a slow drizzle, stirring constantly to thicken. Taste and season with salt and pepper as necessary, and add a little more vinegar if needed.
  7. Dress the green beans, toss to coat well, and serve.
HOW TO MIX DRESSINGS EASILY
  1. Instead of whisking the ingredients in a bowl, put them in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously. This emulsifies the mixture more easily than whisking, and any leftover dressing can be stored in the jar for future use.