Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Recipe: Summer Salad of Haricots Verts, Heirloom Tomatoes and Basil

Thomas Odermatt, chef/proprietor, Rotisario

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

2 anchovy fillets, broken into small pieces

7 ounces haricots verts (French green beans)

Juice of 1 lemon

3 cups various types heirloom tomatoes, cut into small chunks

1 cup torn purple and green basil

Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste

Sauté garlic slices in the olive oil for a few minutes to extract flavor, then let cool. Whisk in the sherry vinegar and anchovies. Season with salt and pepper.

Blanch the haricots verts in water — acidulated with freshly squeezed lemon juice — until crisp tender and refresh in ice water.

Cut tomatoes into bite-sized chunks and tear basil leaves into half-inch pieces. Toss beans, tomatoes and basil together in a large bowl and add the dressing. Toss again to coat salad ingredients sufficiently with the dressing. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

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