This is an unusual use for pistou, a Provençal variant of pesto made of basil, garlic, olive oil, and salt. It's normally stirred into simple vegetable soups to give them some oomph, but it brings the same lively savoriness to green beans, contrasting nicely with their buttery quality. Don't worry about being knocked over by raw onions on top of all the other strong flavors-soaking them in cold water for 15 minutes removes some of their pungency while preserving their crunch.
Pistou can be made 6 hours ahead and transferred to a small bowl, then chilled, covered. Beans can be cooked 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed large plastic bag lined with paper towels.
Recipe information
Total Time
45 min
Yield
Makes 6 side-dish servings
Ingredients
For pistou
For salad
Preparation
Make pistou:
Step 1
Purée all pistou ingredients in a food processor until basil is finely chopped.
Make salad:
Step 2
Soak onion in cold water 15 minutes, then drain in a colander and pat dry.
Step 3
While onion soaks, cook beans in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 6 minutes, then drain in a large colander. Transfer to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain again and pat dry.
Step 4
Toss beans and onion with pistou. Season with salt and pepper.
