Haricots Verts, Zucchini & Tomatoes Salad With Tapenade

Grill or roast veggies and add black olive tapenade to take green bean salad up a notch for your next picnic. If you are planning on grilling hamburgers, take along a grill griddle to grill the haricots verts, zucchini and tomatoes prior to combining in the black olive tapenade; that will prevent excessive mushiness from water-laden zucchini and tomatoes. If you don't want to be bothered with picnic veggie grilling, roast the veggies ahead of time and mix with the tapenade just before leaving for the picnic. I strongly recommend that you do not skip the parboiling process, allowing the green beans to stay bright green. The garbanzo beans etc. can be added if you wish to add protein to the salad. If vegetarian, use black olive tapenade that does not include anchovies. Suggested tapenade recipes: such as Black Olive Tapenade #186078, Gazpacho Soup #208529, Another Black Olive Tapenade Recipe #188130, Anchovy Free Black Olive Tapenade #208190, Black Olive Tapenade #223703

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  small- medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise in 3/8-inch thick slices
• 1  fresh summer slicing tomatoes, cored and sliced in thin wedges and seeds removed (beefsteak tomato)
• 6  cups water
• 1  teaspoon lemon juice
• 1⁄2 lb  fresh  French haricots vert (about 2 1/2 cups) or 1⁄2 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 6  red radishes, sliced paper thin
• 1⁄2 cup  black olive  tapenade (see suggested recipes below)
• 14 1⁄2 ounces  canned garbanzo beans (optional) or 14 1⁄2 ounces cannellini beans (optional) or 14 1⁄2 ounces kidney beans, drained (optional)

Directions

1. PRIOR TO GRILLING OR ROASTING:
2. Wash zucchini, cut off ends and slice lengthwise in 3/8-inch thick slices. Place on double thickness of paper towels and sprinkle salt over zucchini. Allow to stand 30 minutes to help draw out excess water from veggies. Then pat dry with paper towels.
3. Wash and core tomato, slice in thin wedges, and remove seeds. Place on double thickness of paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and allow to stand 15 minutes. Then pat dry with paper towels.
4. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil. Add lemon juice and trimmed haricots verts and partially cook 4-5 minutes to desired degree of doneness. Remove haricots verts from heat, drain in a colander, and immediately immerse them in an ice water bath to stop from cooking. Drain and set aside.
5. GRILLING OPTION:
6. Preheat grill to medium-high.
7. Spray grill griddle with nonstick cooking spray. Layer zucchini slices, tomato wedges, and haricots verts in single layer. Grill until golden brown, turning and basting with olive-flavor nonstick cooking spray occastionally (remove grill griddle from grill while spraying to prevent fire).
8. ROASTING OPTION:
9. Preheat oven to 375°F.
10. Spray large baking pan with 2" sides with olive-oil flavored cooking spray. Spread zucchini, tomato slices and parboiled cut green beans in single layer. Spray with olive-oil flavored cooking spray.
11. Roast for 20 minutes, turning over at 10 minutes.
12. ASSEMBLE SALAD:
13. Cut haricots verts and zucchini in 1-inch pieces. Cut tomato wedges in half horizontally.
14. In a large bowl, combine grilled or roasted haricots verts, zucchini, and tomato with sliced radishes, tapenade and optional garbanzo beans, cannelini beans, or kidney beans Pack in tightly sealed container for picnic, allowing flavors to blend. This salad can be served chilled or at room temperature.