This salad is inspired by a recipe I found in Cooking with Vegetables by Jesse Jenkins. It makes me so happy — it’s like summer on a plate. It brings together so many of my favourite foods: fresh nectarines, blanched green beans, and toasted slivered almonds, all bound by a sweet, lemony dressing.
This is the dish to make at the height of summer when each ingredient is at its sunshine best.
INGREDIENTS:
- 500 g (1.1 pounds) green beans, trimmed
- 50 g (½ cup) flaked almonds
- 3 ripe yellow nectarines
- 10 g fresh basil leaves (about 1 cup, loosely packed)
- Lemon–Honey Dressing
METHOD:
- Cook the beans: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 3–4 minutes, until just tender but still bright green. Drain and immediately refresh in iced water to stop the cooking. Drain again and pat dry.
- Toast the almonds: Place the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Toast until golden and fragrant, shaking the pan often. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Slice the nectarines: Cut the nectarines into thin wedges or bite-sized slices, discarding the stones.
- Combine: Place the green beans in a large serving bowl. Add the nectarines, basil leaves, and toasted almonds.
- Dress and serve: Pour over the lemon–honey dressing just before serving, and toss gently to combine. Serve at room temperature.
MAKE AHEAD:
- Green beans: Blanch, refresh, and store in the fridge for up to 2 days, making sure they are well dried before refrigerating.
- Almonds: Toast ahead and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Basil: Wash, dry thoroughly, and wrap loosely in a paper towel. Store in the fridge in a container or zip-lock bag for up to 3 days.
- Nectarines: Slice just before assembling, as they soften and discolour if cut too far ahead.
- Keep all components separate and toss everything together with the dressing just before serving.