insalata di fagiolini viola e pomodori / purple wax bean and tomato salad

Last Saturday at the farmers' market, I made a number of nice purchases. I have already talked about the beautiful Blush tomatoes. I also got pretty purple wax beans. Unfortunately, the photo, taken before I washed the beans, does not really do them justice: the color, described as "dark mauve," is brilliant and intense. And, as you can see, the inside is bright green. When I plunged the beans into the boiling water, however, the original color disappeared almost immediately and the beans turned green. 

I contemplated a traditional combination with potatoes (albeit ones with red flesh), when the tomatoes in the CSA box made me change my mind. I selected a yellow one and one that is red and green, with a nice layout of the two colors. I then decided that toasted sesame seeds would provide the right note of flavor and a bit of texture contrast. Finally, a hint of basil rounded off the simple vinaigrette of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. (I am aware that not everybody likes the idea of vinegar on tomatoes, but I do. I grew up eating panzanella and various types of tomato salads all including vinegar.)

Printer-friendly version of briciole's recipe for  Purple wax bean and tomato salad

Ingredients:

• 1 lb purple wax beans
• heirloom tomatoes of your choice, the number depending on their size
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (semi di sesamo), toasted in a dry skillet until golden and fragrant
• sea salt, to taste
• olive oil (olio d'oliva) of good quality
• balsamic vinegar (aceto balsamico) of good quality
• basil chiffonade, to taste

Trim the beans (I topped and tailed them) and wash them. Cut them into approx. 2-inch pieces. (I did this after cooking them, but it is better to do it before.) Plunge them into a pot of boiling salted water, bring back water to a boil and cook until desired tenderness. Drain, place in a salad bowl and let cool thoroughly. 

Wash and slice the tomatoes, and add to the beans. In a small jar, measure olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt to taste. Screw on the lid and shake well. Distribute on the salad and toss gently. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and toss again, then serve.

There was quite a bit of juice released by the tomatoes in the bowl, so we used pieces of my homemade challah to fare la scarpetta. We had also another salad for dinner, but that is a story for another post.

This is my submission for My Legume Love Affair 38, the current edition of the popular, legume-centered event created by Susan, The Well-Seasoned Cook, and hosted this month by Preeti of Relishing Recipes.

This post contains the first part of the roundup of the event, and this post contains the second part.

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insalata di fagiolini viola e pomodori

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wax bean, tomato, salad

Comments

[astrofiammante]

no no così giochi sporco....pure i fagiolini viola!!!!!! peccato che poi perdano colore è quel che succede ai broccoli siciliani invernali ........ma ci sarà un modo per non far scolorire in cottura ? dobbiamo fare una ricerca ;-))

[Simona Carini]

Carini, vero? Mi hanno fatto venir voglia di un vestito con lo stesso abbinamento di colori: viola e verde brillante. Non credo: dovunque ho guardato ho letto la stessa cosa, cioe' che perdono il colore originale. Su una delle pagine che ho consultato dicono di mangiarli crudi, ma io non sono d'accordo, almeno non quando sono come quelli che ho comprato, magari quando sono molto giovani. Devo dire che il cavolfiore viola quando lo faccio al forno mantiene un po' il colore. Magari potrei provare a cuocere anche i fagiolini al forno e vedere che succede.

[Alicia (Foodycat)]

I don't understand - some people don't like vinaigrette on tomatoes?! That is extraordinary to me!

I think this looks delicious. Amazing colours!

[bellini]

I discovered that you can't cook those gorgeous beans and retain their colour. So sad, but they are tasty.

[Paz]

I love the color. Enticing!

[Simona Carini]

Ciao Alicia. I don't understand it either. I love the colors too.

Ciao Val. Indeed, it is still worth getting them because they are good.

Thanks, Paz.