Green Beans with Tomato Vinaigrette

Ah, summer is officially over and tomato season begins to wane. Fall is here and soon the leaves will prove it with their colourful display. So, what to do as the tomatoes go soft in the bowl (you don’t keep them in the fridge, do you? Uh oh). Well, I found this great recipe on the New York Times website, complete with video, which I adapted for our larder. I don’t grate the tomato, just chop it up, but it is delicious, never-the-less! And I loved learning the technique of flash cooking and icing the beans. They really keep their crunch!

Ingredients:
1/2lb green beans
1 large, overripe tomato
1 Tbs red wine vinegar (to taste)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 Tsp sea salt (to taste)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup, torn basil leaves

Fill a saucepan with boiling water. Fill a bowl with ice and ice-cold water. Drop the green beans into the boiling water and boil for no more than 3 minutes – until just tender. Drain immediately, then transfer to the bowl of ice water.  Once cooled, drain and dry, then place in a large bowl.

With a sharp knife, finely chop up the tomato. Juice will go everywhere. The original recipe suggests discarding the skin and seeds. If it is a really ripe tomato, you may want to do this. So far, I have managed to keep all the moving parts. Use a scraper
to scoop up all the tomato bits and place in a medium-sized bowl or jug. (PS – I love my scraper). Stir in the vinegar and salt, then stir in the olive oil and garlic.

Pour enough of the vinaigrette, so as to cover -but not smother- the beans. Mix with your hands and let stand for at least ten minutes for the flavors to be absorbed. Add the basil leaves just before serving. It’s yummy!