Grilled Garden Vegetable Salad

For the Salad:

1/2-pound green beans

1/2-pound yellow wax beans

Grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil), as needed

1-pound fresh cherry or grape tomatoes

1/3 cup walnuts, toasted

A few handfuls of lettuce greens

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup Nicoise olives

For the Vinaigrette:

1 shallot, brunoise

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1/3 cup white or regular balsamic

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.

Snap the ends off the green beans and place in an ice bath. When the salt water is boiling, blanch the beans just to al dente – approximately 1 minute. Shock the blanched beans in the ice bath to stop the cooking process and set the bright color. Repeat this process with the yellow wax beans.

Drizzle oil on the beans and grill them in a grill basket on high heat (450 F) for about 8 to 10 minutes or until they are nicely charred. Keep the grill cover closed as much as possible to keep the heat contained.

Grill the tomatoes in a grill basket for about 5 minutes or until they are nicely charred.

Toast the walnuts in a dry non-stick pan on low heat or in an oven at 350 F.

To make the vinaigrette, combine the shallots, garlic, and white balsamic. Slowly whisk in the extra virgin olive oil to make an emulsion. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, thyme leaves and salt and pepper to taste.

Combine the beans, tomatoes, walnuts and lettuce greens in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with Nicoise olives.

(Recipe courtesy of Chef Ludo Lefebvre)

(Photo courtesy of Chloe Crespi)