Long Green Beans: A Tangled Chopped Salad

These yard-long green beans have been a constant source of wonder for Izzy since their appearance here on Tuesday. He used one to play with like a lasso and then grabbed another one to bring to school for an impromptu show-and-tell. His wish, each day since, has been to cook them whole, spaghetti-style. I wasn't sure what I would do with them although I imagined them cut into smaller pieces.

Thanks to S., our babysitter, who ended up leaving our house on Wednesday with a leftover CSA share, I had a recipe for the beans awaiting me this morning. I modified it and ended up compromising with Izzy in the preparation. I left some beans whole and he cut up the other ones.

This is our S. inspired invention: Tangled Long Bean Salad (serves 2)

10 long green beans (3 kept whole): blanch beans for about 5 minutes
1 chopped shallot
1 chopped and seeded cucumber
1 chopped heirloom tomato - yellow or red
1/2 can drained chickpeas

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Toss with a swish of olive oil and some balsamic vinegar
3. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and any fresh herbs you may have.

Serve with a simple garlic rubbed bruschetta.

p.s As we were eating and I mentioned that the recipe came from our babysitter, Izzy said, "I don't want to have a babysitter. I am not a baby." So we agreed to call her the kidsitter and then he will be happy to have her come back.