Green Bean and Tomato Salad

From my favorite food blog Smitten Kitchen comes this simple, delicious recipe to make use of late summer tomatoes and green beans.  

Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad

Serves 6

• 1 pound green beans (or a mix of green/yellow/purple/whatever)

• 1 pound cherry tomatoes

• 1 large shallot

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• Salt and pepper

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• Basil or other herb (parsley, chervil, hyssop) (optional)

METHOD

Vegetables

1) Top and tail the beans and cut them into large segments.

2) Parboil the beans in salted water until just tender, about four to five minutes. Drain and immediately spread them out to cool. 

3) Stem the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half.

Dressing

4) Peel and mince the shallot and put it in a bowl with the vinegar and salt and pepper.

5) Whisk in the olive oil. 

6) Taste and adjust the balance with more vinegar, oil, or salt, as needed. 

Assemble

7) Toss the cherry tomatoes in with the vinaigrette; this can sit for a while. 

8) Add green beans and toss to coat evenly.  Do not add the green beans until just before serving or they will discolor from the acid in the vinaigrette. 

9) Garnish with herbs.

I feel a bit embarrased posting this picture, which I took with my point-and-shoot, after linking to the original recipe and her unbelievable photography.  But here it is anyway: