RecipeTin Eats x Good Food: Green bean salad with garlic and cumin dressing

Name: RecipeTin Eats x Good Food: Green bean salad with garlic and cumin dressing
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Modern Australian
Ingredients: 500g green beans, ends trimmed; 2 tsp sherry vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

Nagi Maehashi

September 5, 2022

Green bean salad with pickled onions and garlic and cumin dressing.Nagi Maehashi

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4

This salad punches way above its weight for effort versus reward. The elements can be fully prepared the day before, then tossed together before serving.

Ingredients

500g green beans, ends trimmed
2 tsp sherry vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

Quick pickled onion

½ red onion, very finely sliced (a mandoline is handy here)
⅔ cup red or white wine vinegar
4 tbsp caster sugar

Dressing

60ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp finely minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp chilli flakes
½ tsp sesame oil
½ tsp cooking salt

Method

1. To make the pickled onion, mix the vinegar and sugar together in a medium bowl until dissolved. Add onion then set aside for 30 minutes until the onion softens and turns pink. Drain.
2. Blanch the beans in 2 litres of boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain in a colander then rinse under cold tap water for 30 seconds. Shake off excess water then leave to dry and cool. Transfer to a bowl and toss with sherry vinegar.
3. For the cumin garlic dressing, heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic, cumin and chilli. Cook for 30 seconds or until garlic is light golden. Working quickly, stir in the sesame oil then immediately pour over the beans.
4. Add salt and pickled onion to the beans. Toss well then serve.
Notes: This is an excellent dish to prepare ahead. Strain the oil for the dressing into a small bowl, otherwise the garlic and spices will burn in the residual heat. This also keeps the garlic crispy. Blanch the beans, make the pickled onion. Keep everything separate then toss together before serving.
This recipe features in Nagi's vegetarian feast