Heirloom Tomato and Haricot Verts Salad with Pistou

This makes the most out of Fall bounty, and I have been looking for more ways to use my beautiful basil leaves from my plant:

Salad:

About 1/2 t. sea salt*, plus more for blanching beans
1/4 lb. haricots verts (very thin green beans), tops trimmed
1 T. fresh oregano leaves
Small garlic clove
2 & 1/4 t. red wine vinegar
1 & 1/2 t. good quality balsamic vinegar
3 T. each EVOO and roasted hazelnut oil
1/2 t. lemon zest
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup skinned toasted hazelnuts
1 & 3/4 lbs. heirloom tomatoes (get a variety of colors for presentation*)
1/2 bunch baby arugula
1 cup cherry tomatoes, stemmed and cut in half
2 T. creme fraiche (or plain Greek yogurt or sour cream*)

Bring a small pot of salted water to boil, then blanch beans for 2-3 mins. til just tender. Transfer to a baking sheet to cool. Using a mortar and pestle, pound and grind oregano, garlic, and a scant 1/4 t. salt to a paste (or chop herbs, sprinkle with salt, mince and mash into a paste with the flat side of a Chef's knife). Transfer to a small bowl, and add the vinegars. Stream and whisk in the olive oil. Taste for seasoning and balance. Whisk hazelnut oil, lemon zest, and S&P in another small boil. Finely chop half the hazelnuts, and stir into the dressing. Roughly chop the rest of the nuts, and add to mix. Drizzle haricot verts with dressing, add S&P, and toss to coat. Hold heirloom tomatoes on their sides and cut into 1/4" slices. Season with S&P. Arrange slices on a large round platter, overlapping them, and spoon on about half the balsamic vinaigrette. Scatter with arugula leaves. Stir cherry tomatoes and remaining vinaigrette in a bowl, and season with S&P. Pile in the center of platter, then top with haricots verts. Spoon on a few dollops of creme fraiche and sprinkle about a third of pistou onto and around salad (serve the rest alongside).

Pistou:

1/2 small garlic clove
1/4 t. sea salt*
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
1 T. fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup EVOO
Freshly ground pepper

Again using the mortar and pestle, pound the garlic clove with 1/4 t. salt. Add half the basil leaves, and pound to a coarse paste. Add remaining basil, and chopped parsley, continue to grind. Stir in oil and season to taste with S&P.

"In a sense, our lives are marked by "use by" dates - except that none of us knows when the heart will expire or we'll take our last breath on this planet. Given that reality, shouldn't we try a little harder to capture the moments we've been given?"

Carpe Diem!!!!

Love,

MM