This is one side dish that really knocked my socks off. I was surprised it came out so well. When I first read through the recipe, I wondered how I’d keep the onions firm so they wouldn’t fall through the cracks, but once I realized that they are roasted as whole onions, the genius behind the dish revealed itself. The cutting of the onion occurs after the roasting, not before. That’s why they look so good in the photo directly below. If I were to cut the onions up and then attempt to roast them, I’m not sure the outcome would have been nearly as pleasant.
The Recipe
This is a tasty side that’s good during any time of the year. It’s simple to prepare too. The thing that takes the longest is the roasting of the onions. That will take about 30 minutes. Beyond that, blanching the peas and beans only takes a minute or two and the preparation of the vinaigrette is rather simple as well. This is a good one and an easy one to boot.
I love blanched green beans. They are cooked, yet still have a snap about them. To me, it’s the freshest cooked way to enjoy them. The vinaigrette calls for extra-virgin olive oil and sherry vinegar, a bit of salt and pepper and the semi-sweetened red onions. When the onions emerge from the oven, they are soft, but not that soft. They still hold their shapes, which helps out during the cutting. What I enjoyed the most was their flavor. The roasting made them come alive. They were tender and had a great texture.
Overall, this was a very nice dish. I’d definitely prepare it again. Whether it be for a holiday of for a weeknight dinner, I can’t find any reason I wouldn’t want to make this.
Ingredients
Serves: 4-6
For the Vinaigrette
2 Large Red Onions, Trimmed and Peeled
10 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (.625 Cup)
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic, Minced
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
4 Teaspoons Sherry Vinegar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
For the Salad
1/3 Pound Runner Beans, Trimmed
1/3 Pound French Beans, Trimmed
1/3 Pound Sugar Snap Peas, Trimmed
1 Tablespoon Mint, Chopped
4 Tablespoons Parsley, Chopped
1 Tablespoon Salt
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Step-by-Step Instructions
I’d like to thank Gordon Ramsay for this recipe. Laura found it on his website and I have to tell you, it’s just as good as any other he’s shared. I really enjoyed this one and look forward to preparing many more in the future.
Roast the Onions
Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Trim both ends from both of the onions and then peel off the outer layers of both of them as well. Drizzle a little oil in a large skillet and then place the onions in that skillet.
When the oven is to temperature, place the skillet inside and let the onions roast for 30-35 minutes. When they’re finished, the outer skin should look papery and the onions should be soft.
Remove the skillet from the oven and place it on your stove top to cool. Turn off the oven heat.
Prepare the Vinaigrette
In a medium sized bowl, add the olive oil, garlic, thyme, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Whisk these ingredients together well.
When the onions have cooled a bit, go ahead and cut them in half. Then, cut those halves into slices and chop them coarsely. Add all the pieces to the bowl with the vinaigrette and mix everything together well.
Now that’s a rustic dressing! Be sure to season to taste.
Blanch the Beans
Before you do anything else, you’ll want to trim off both ends from the beans and the peas. Also, if any of the beans are very large, you can cut them up into pieces.
Next, bring three quarts of water to a boil in a large pot over high heat on your stove top. Add one tablespoon of salt to the water. When the water is boiling, add the beans and the peas to it and let them blanch for one and a half minutes. After that, turn off the heat and strain the contents of the pot through a colander in your sink. Then, run the colander under cold water for a minute or so to stop any cooking.
Combine Ingredients
Prep the mint and the parsley by coarsely chopping both.
Then, add the blanched vegetables, the onion vinaigrette, the parsley and the mint to the bowl and mix everything together well.
That’s it. The salad is complete.
Plate & Serve
Divide the salad between bowls and serve. Be sure to add salt and pepper to taste.
The Final Green Bean, Snap Pea & Red Onion Salad
I’ll tell you, it wasn’t difficult taking photos of this dish. The roasted red onion woke it right up. Sometimes, these dishes just have it in them. Anyway, give this side a try. I think you’ll enjoy it. If you do try it, please let me know your thoughts down in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!
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