Green Beans with Sesame-Miso Vinaigrette is the summer variation of an asparagus recipe I make every spring. While you do have to boil water to blanch the green beans, you won’t be heating up the house for long. Served chilled, this green bean salad is just what you need for the dog days of summer to fill the gaps between the tomatoes and basil.
The recipe is adapted from the Orange County Buddhist Church’s Generation to Generation cookbook. And it’s just the kind of thing my grandma would have made on hot summer days and served alongside a cool bowl of somen. The sesame-miso vinaigrette is super versatile and is also delicious with blanched sugar snap peas and cucumbers. If you want to make it a main, you can easily serve it over chilled soba or ramen.
The summer spin on a recipe I make every spring, this cool, refreshing salad will get you through the dog days of summer.
Prepare an ice bath in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook green beans for 3-4 minutes until bright green, but still crunchy.
Blanch the green beans and pour off the ice water. You want to stop the cooking, but you don't want the beans to get waterlogged. Slice the green beans into ~3 inch pieces (usually that's just in half).
In a small bowl whisk together the miso paste, lemon juice, brown sugar, mirin and sesame oil.
In a medium bowl gently toss together the green beans, tofu and dressing until evenly coated.
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve chilled.
Adapted from a recipe in the Orange County Buddhist Church's Generation to Generation cookbook.