Late Summer Harvest Salad with Pistachio Vinaigrette
A colourful late-summer salad loaded with green and yellow beans, ripe tomatoes, grilled corn and honey-kissed peaches, finished with pickled red onions, fresh basil and a tangy pistachio-sherry vinaigrette. A celebration of summer produce at its peak.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 326 kcal
Pistachio Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
- 1 small clove garlic, finely grated with microplaner, or crushed with garlic press
- 1/4 cup sherry or red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pickled Red Onions
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, or 1/2 teaspoon Morton's kosher salt
Salad Ingredients
- 200 grams green beans, about 2 cups
- 200 grams yellow beans, about 2 cups
- 1 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher salt
- 2 ears fresh corn, shucked
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 medium peaches, halved and pitted
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 cup assorted small cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, or 1/2 teaspoon Morton's kosher salt
Pistachio Vinaigrette
Add the olive oil and pistachios to a small skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the pistachios are fragrant and the oil is gently sizzling.
Strain the oil into a heatproof measuring cup or bowl. Set the pistachios aside for garnishing the salad.
Add the garlic to the warm pistachio-infused oil and let sit for a few minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sherry vinegar, honey and Dijon mustard. Slowly drizzle in the pistachio oil while whisking continuously, until the vinaigrette is emulsified.
Prepare pickled red onions
Combine the red wine vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve.
Place the sliced onions in a 2-cup jar. Pour the hot brine over the onions and stir well. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until needed.
Cook beans
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Yes, one cup! The heavily salted cooking water seasons the beans from the inside without making them taste overly salty.
Add the green and yellow beans and cook for 2–3 minutes, until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking. Drain thoroughly.
Grill corn and peaches
Heat the grill over medium heat.
Brush the corn and the cut sides of the peaches with the olive oil. Drizzle the honey lightly over the cut sides of the peaches.
Place the peaches cut-side down on the grill. Add the corn.
Grill the peaches until deeply marked and beginning to caramelize. Grill the corn, turning occasionally, until lightly charred on all sides.
Transfer to a cutting board. Cut the kernels from the corn cobs. Cut the peach halves into wedges.
Assemble salad
Toss the drained beans with 2 tablespoons of the pistachio vinaigrette. Arrange them loosely over a large platter.
Layer the sliced and halved tomatoes over the beans. Season the tomatoes with the kosher salt.
Nestle the grilled peach wedges among the tomatoes and beans.
Scatter the grilled corn over the salad, followed by about 2 tablespoons of pickled red onions.
Drizzle with an additional 2 tablespoons of pistachio vinaigrette.
Finish with the toasted pistachios and fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately.
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About all that salt: The 1 cup of kosher salt used to cook the beans is intentional. Briefly cooking the green and yellow beans in heavily salted water seasons them beautifully without making them taste salty. The cooking water—and nearly all that salt—is discarded when the beans are drained.
Make-ahead: The recipe makes more vinaigrette, toasted pistachios and pickled onions than you will need for one salad. Refrigerate leftover vinaigrette and pickled onions in separate airtight containers. Store leftover toasted pistachios in an airtight container at room temperature.
Calories: 326kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 6gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.003gSodium: 29508mgPotassium: 733mgFiber: 6gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 1375IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 3mg