Mustard-Rosemary Green Bean Salad

Over the weekend, perhaps you were very blessed indeed and grilled some steaks, chicken breasts or pork chops with someone you love. While it’s summer some places, in Colorado, it’s still a tad nippy at night. (Time for the gray sweatshirt hoodie.)
God, I’ll trust, was with you and you spent an evening on the deck with some people you enjoy SO MUCH….and you spent more time at the table than in the kitchen.
Someone identified a contstellation maybe. (Mary, not Martha) You might have had a nice salad and that bottle of wine you couldn’t afford, but your friend who COULD, brought along. (When we eat together, life changes in ways we don’t anticipate.) Maybe your daughter made dessert and your son (if old enough) put some old Simon and Garfunkel or Tony Bennett for Lovers on the stereo. People began to breathe somewhat slower… and some told a story or two from the week. One just sat there sighing, taking in the air with a little peace.

(At left: view to north from our deck.)

“Phew” was almost said out loud. There were no “you should…” or “why didn’t you…”s Maybe you rolled your eyes at yourself and smiled. (Did I really think that was SO important; THIS is what’s important.) No matter what, eventually your spine relaxed as your face softened and your breath became even and you came to the table knowing you were cared for and enjoyed.

Well, you had some leftovers, didn’t you? Sunday night rolled around…not a big time to cook, but still a time to be together. Blessed indeed were you if you worshiped together sometime as my family did. (It's Trinity Sunday.) There’s a bit of meat in the frig and some cooked green beans…what to do with them?
Here’s a sweet green bean salad you could throw together. Granted, you needed to have been growing some rosemary in your south window (who wants to pay the $3.50 for a tiny, old packet of it in the grocery). Use dried if you don’t have it. Rosemary is for remembrance… check it out. Throw a bit of the meat, thinly sliced, on the side of the plate (almost like a garnish) and make most of the meal veg tonight. It’ll feel good. Have a bit of wine if there’s any left; tomorrow’s Monday, folks.
Take the cool Sunday night air in through your nose and feel it reach all the way down to your ribs and below. Still time to rest before the week begins again.


Wine: Nice California Syrah...do it if you had leftover beef or pork.
If you had chicken or fish left, put out some Sauvignon Blanc.


Mustard-Rosemary Green Bean Salad
Salad:
4 approx. 2” new potatoes, cut into 1/8’s
18 1” baby tomatoes
2T olive oil (plain quality is fine)
Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 c haricots verts or young green beans, cooked until tender
2 T chopped fresh rosemary
2 springs rosemary, for garnish

Dressing:
1T Dijon mustard
1T white wine vinegar ( I like Chardonnay)
2T extra-virgin olive oil, best quality
Pinch kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Place cut up potatoes in a glass pie pan or casserole with ¼ c water. Cover with dinner plate and microwave 4-5 minutes on high until tender. Drain and set to one side.
Meantime, heat olive oil over medium heat in medium skillet. Add a dusting of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and sauté for 15 seconds. Add baby tomatoes and cook for about five minutes. Put microwaved potatoes in pan with tomatoes and sauté 10 minutes or so until tomatoes are softened and potatoes have begun to look a bit crispy.

Dressing: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard and Chardonnay vinegar. Slowly pour in olive oil, whisking until emulsified. (Creamy and satiny) Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add cooked haricots verts/green beans to dressing and mix lightly. Pour beans onto large platter and top with tomato/potato mixture. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.


Here are the animals this weekend-Gabby (aka Gabriella) got groomed (woo hoo) and Russert (neighborhood stray/sometimes ours) hung on the front porch:

Enjoy the whole crew!

Sing a new song--maybe you did Saturday night!

Alyce