The Washington Post, July 1, 2009
Many summers ago, I was at a barbecue where one guest accused another of having stolen a recipe for green bean salad. I was quick to put an end to the conversation. Few recipes are 100 percent original, and the pairing of green beans and feta is hardly unusual.
The match is a natural, so naturally there are many versions of this salad. I’ve tried to perfect mine by using only the zest of the lemon, so the beans don’t discolor; by adding chopped sweet onions to keep that ingredient from biting; and by choosing dill, which goes nicely with the feta.
I’ve also learned that less is more: It takes only a small hunk of feta, nicely crumbled, to flavor the beans. I like to use a mild feta so as not to overwhelm the rest of the salad components.
If your recipe’s a lot like mine, I’m not going to fight about it. I’ll just consider you a cook with good taste.
MAKE AHEAD: The salad may be assembled and refrigerated up to 3 days in advance.
4 servings
Ingredients:
Directions:
Have ready a large bowl of ice water.
Bring a 4-quart pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the salt and the beans; cook for about 6 minutes, until the beans are tender. Immediately transfer them to the ice-water bath. Let the beans cool for 5 minutes, then use clean dish towels to drain and dry the beans.
Transfer the beans to a large bowl; add the feta, dill, onion, lemon zest, oil and pepper to taste, and toss to combine. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Allow the salad to come to room temperature before serving.
From columnist Stephanie Witt Sedgwick.
108 calories, 7g fat, 3g saturated fat, 13mg cholesterol, 166mg sodium, 10g carbohydrates, 4g dietary fiber, 3g sugar, 4g protein.
