Chanterelle mushrooms and cipollini onions are worth the splurge, but you can substitute halved cremini mushrooms and frozen pearl onions and the results will still be very tasty.
Photo by Annabelle Breakey; styling by Robyn Valarik; written by Elaine Johnson
4 of 16Photo by Annabelle Breakey; styling by Robyn Valarik; written by Elaine Johnson
Spicy, Crunchy Pickled Green Beans with Lemon
Kombu, a kind of kelp, gives this pickle a certain velvety umami character, especially when it’s allowed to sit for a few days. The pickle also gets spicier with time.
Flavor and texture contrasts give this salad extra appeal: Nutty pasta mingles with crisp green beans, strewn with bits of crunchy bacon and creamy Roquefort.
Blanch the beans so that they're still bright green and a bit crunchy, and toss with the vinaigrette just before serving. The recipe is from Dana Ewart and Cameron Smith, chefs and caterers in Canada's Okanagan Valley, in British Columbia. They serve it as part of their open-air feasts at God's Mountain Estate, a vineyard and B&B near Penticton.
Pickled Green Beans with Dill, Tarragon, Garlic, and Peppercorns
Making these tart, snappy beans couldn’t be easier: Stuff raw beans and seasonings into jars, add a boiling vinegar mixture, and put jars in the canner. They’re just the thing with a Bloody Mary or burger.
“This salad is the little sister of the Provençal dish called a grand aioli,” says Amaryll Schwertner, chef-owner of Boulette’s Larder in San Francisco. She omits the seafood of the grand version and focuses instead on “the colors, flavors, and textures of summer produce.” To make a half-batch of aioli (a deliciously garlicky mayonnaise), whisk it by hand and use 1 egg yolk rather than half of a whole egg.
These zingy pickles take only about an hour to prepare, but provide many months’ worth of snacking. Serve them alongside burgers, add to Bloody Marys, or just eat them straight from the jar.
A light cornmeal coating and chipotle chile dip make these green beans as addictive as french fries. If you like more texture, use medium-grind cornmeal.