Green Bean, Olive and Pasta Salad

We are currently getting organic green beams from Mexico and while that is a long way to travel, green beans are a nice break from kale, collards and chard. Plus there were organic tomatoes from Israel last week at the supermarket so by comparison, beans are from my own back yard!

Green Beans, Olive and Pasta Salad

1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut in half
454 gram bag of pasta
12 stuffed olives, sliced
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup raspberry balsamic vinegar (or just 1/4 cup balsamic total)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
Cracked black pepper

Get a pot of water up to boiling and put the green beans in to boil 3-5 minutes. Remove with a strainer and throw into a sink of ice water. Continue to use the boiling water and cook the pasta.

While the beans are cooling, mix the vinegars, oil, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss in the sliced olives. Drain the beans (save the water to cool the pasta) and toss them into the bowl. When the pasta is cooked, drain and toss into the sink of cold water. Swish around and add more cold water if necessary. When the pasta is cool, toss into the salad. Mix and let sit a little for the flavours to mix.

If you taste the dressing before adding the salad ingredients, it will seem quite sweet but once the beans, olives and pasta are in, the flavours balance well.




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