Haricots Verts are the lovely thin and delicate green beans grown all over France. They are distinguished from the many other varieties of beans in that green beans are harvested and consumed with their enclosing pods,before the bean seeds inside have fully matured. Excellent quality haricots verts and green beans can be found fresh-frozen in many markets around the world.

Haricots Vert Salade with Fresh Tomatoes and Garlic

This clean tasting salad highlights fresh tomatoes with crisp French green beans and accented by golden garlic slivers and good extra-virgin olive oil. This salad is simple but incredibly refreshing and perfect before or after a heavy meal.

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Course: Salad

Cuisine: French, Mediterranean, Provence, Southeastern France

Prep Time: 12

Cook Time: 3

Total Time: 15

Servings:

Author: My Hungry Traveler

Equipment

Large bowl of ice water
Colander
Bowl
large nonstick frying pan

Ingredients

2 lb Haricots verts or trimmed green beans
Salt
⅔ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
20 small Cherry or grape tomatoes
1 head Garlic, cloves peeled and sliced thin.

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Place haricots verts or green beans in a plastic freezer bag along with ¼ cup of salted water. Seal ¾ of the way and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Immediately drain and pour beans into bowl of ice water to stop cooking and bring out their bright green color. After 1 minute, drain beans in the colander.
Halve or roughly chop tomatoes. Transfer to a bowl along with 4 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Mix together.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic slices and cook, stirring, until slightly golden but not burned. Add drained beans and a pinch of salt. Toss to warm everything, transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Notes

Flash frozen haricots verts or green beans may be substituted for fresh.
If fresh tomatoes are out of season, a drained 14oz. can of diced tomatoes can be used.
Is is important not to burn the garlic. It’ll make everything bitter and inedible. Watch carefully during cooking and have the green beans ready to add to pan the second the garlic turns golden.
If peeling 20 garlic cloves gives you pause, bags of already peeled garlic cloves are sold at most supermarkets.