blackened green bean salad

We are having dinner at Dave and Ashley's house tonight. They asked that we bring a salad, so my mind went immediately to something lettuce or spinach based. Not having yet landed on what sort of salad to bring, I was flipping through a magazine earlier today and paused on a recipe for skillet cooked green beans. That sounded pretty tasty. It wasn't until later in the day that I realized I could introduce a few twists to this recipe and turn it into something that could pass as a salad...who says a salad has to have lettuce in it, anyway?

The result was super tasty, beautiful, and flexible: it can be eaten, hot, cold, or any temperature in between. Here's what I did:

Blackened Green Bean Salad

Serves 4

1 large orange

2 tsp. canola oil

1 lb. green beans, rinsed and trimmed

1/2 tsp. sea salt

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. champagne vinegar

a handful of pecans, toasted

freshly ground black pepper

Finely grate the zest of orange; set zest aside. Segment orange, removing as much of the pith as possible. Slice each segment in half lengthwise and crosswise, cutting each segment into 4 pieces. Set aside.

Heat canola oil over high heat in a large skillet. When it begins to smoke, add the green beans. Sprinkle with sea salt. Cook, stirring only every 2 minutes or so, until the beans are half blistered and blackened, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the orange juice, olive oil, and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside.

Transfer the green beans to a serving platter. (If your salad is going to travel, like mine, or you're preparing it ahead of time, allow the green beans to cool in pan then cover and store in fridge until ready to use). Scatter orange slices over beans, then pour dressing over the top. Sprinkle with orange zest, toasted pecans, and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!

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