A Simple, Yummy Summery Side … Green Bean & Portobello Salad

• Posted on June 2, 2012
• in Kid-Friendly Vegetarian Recipes
• by Maggie Verderame

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Add fresh tomatoes to this crisp, bright, fresh side dish and you’ve got a colorful, nutrient-packed wonder!

 

This salad is the perfect side dish to many a summer meal … think gazpacho, veggie burgers, grilled fish/meat/poultry if you eat them, vegetable croquettes, picnic sandwiches — pretty much anything you can imagine will pair with this.  It’s easy enough to make quickly, but beautiful so it can be a special event side dish, too.  Because these veggies are all in-season during Summer, this is an inexpensive dish, but it looks and tastes like a million bucks!  Be the talk of the table when you bring it to a Summer potluck.  Try it on the side of Dad’s favorite meal this Father’s Day!  It is sure to please … yes, even the kiddos!  Most children love green beans and tomatoes.  If your garden is fruitful with tomatoes this year, get the kids out there picking and have them help you toss this all up.  They’ll love it even more!

 

I recommend lightly steaming the green beans so they are super fresh and keep longer if you have leftovers.  However, if the green beans are a bit too crisp for your very young child, you can steam them a little longer to soften them up to their liking.  Or, simply encourage their exploration of the portobellos and tomatoes.  They will most-likely enjoy them because they are texturally interesting and both are very tasty!

 

NOTE:  In the pictures I’ve included with this recipe post, you may notice what looks like tiny strings mixed into the green bean salad.  These are onion flowers from the blossoms off of the onions I used in this dish, which we grew in our garden.  (YUM!)  I don’t include them in the recipe below, because it is not something we usually find at the grocery store / farmer’s market, however, if you grow your own onions and they happen to be flowering, throw some of those tasty little flower segments in with the chopped onions as you cook them!  It’s something special!!!

 

 

Green Bean & Portobello Salad

By Maggie Verderame

 

12 ounces Fresh, Whole Green Beans

3 Tbs Garlic-Infused Olive Oil

1 Small Yellow Onion, chopped

2 Scallions (omit scallions if the yellow onion has its green stalks), chopped

2 Large Portobello Mushrooms

4 Pinches of Sea Salt

1/3 Cup Water

1 cup Fresh Tomatoes

 

Trim green beans and cut them into thirds.  In a steamer pot or basket, steam green beans over rapidly boiling water until just bright green and beginning to become tender – about 5 minutes.  Remove from steamer and set aside.

 

Heat 2 tablespoons of garlic-infused olive oil over medium-high heat.  Once the oil is warmed, add the chopped onions and greens/scallions.  Cook until softened.  Cut the portobellos in half, then slice them into 1” thick slices.  Add them to the onions and oil, tossing to coat well with the oil.  Once the oil is absorbed, add 1 tablespoon more of oil, toss again, and add 2 pinches of sea salt and the water.  Mix well, cover and lower heat to medium-low, allowing mushrooms to cook completely.  Stir occasionally.  Once mushrooms have cooked down and most of the juices are absorbed, turn off heat and mix in green beans.  Set aside.

 

Cut tomatoes in half (not lengthwise, rather split them down the middle) and then cut them into quarters.  Toss tomato segments into the green bean mixture adding 2 more pinches of sea salt.  Mix well, being careful not to break up tomatoes.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, cooling thoroughly.  Serve cold and enjoy!

Tags: father's_day_recipe, green_beans, portobello_mushrooms, salad, side_dish, summer, summer_recipe