When Will asked what we were having for dinner the night that I made this, I told him “salad.” Then later on, as I was actually making dinner he drifted in, lured by the smell of Short Creek Sausage cooking.
“I thought we were having salad for dinner?!”
“It is salad…with sausage.”
😍
Apparently I had misled him, but he was not mad about it. I love this kind of meal: one that straddles the seasons with summer vegetables but prepared in a heartier (and hotter) manner. It still feels light and just the right amount of cozy.
My full share this week was cherry tomatoes, regular tomatoes, shishitos, dill, green beans, perpetual spinach, and chard. I sauteed the chard put it inside quesadillas with black beans and cheese, then topped them with a fresh tomato salsa, yogurt, cilantro chutney, and tamarind sauce inspired by these Indian-ish Nachoes (NYT link). I may need to do a reprise of these creamed shishitos, which were seriously one of the best things I’ve ever made. Especially since Paul’s shishitos are on the spicier side, they were just delightfully balanced with the cream. The perpetual spinach will be sauteed with garlic and ginger as an easy side with storebought dumplings, topped with chili oil, Chinkiang vinegar, and soy sauce.
Warm Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Sausage
- 1 lb green beans (different colors are great!), trimmed
- 1 lb sausage (I used smoked tomato and herb sausage from Short Creek)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium tomato (~8 oz), chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup chopped herbs (I used dill, parsley, and 1 scallion)
- 4 slices of good, crusty bread, chopped into 1″ cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Cut the sausage in half, then chop into large chunks. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the sausage. As it cooks continue to break it up further. When the sausage is fully cooked and starting to brown add the cherry tomatoes, regular tomatoes, and garlic. Stir to combine, and cook for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes are warmed through and starting to break down and give off their juices.
In one more pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. When it shimmers, add the chopped bread, stirring so it is coated in oil. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring every minute, until the bread is browned on all sides.
Finish the salad by tossing the cooked beans with the sausage and tomatoes. Serve warm or room-temp with croutons on top.
Vegetal Matters 