Recipe: Green Beans with Chopped Eggs and Olives

Although readily available year-round, seasonal green beans really take the spotlight. For a quick and easy lunch or side dish, fresh green beans are blanched to retain their beautiful vibrant color and are paired with chopped hard-boiled eggs and briny olives. Satisfying, pretty, and sure to please.

Serves 2

  • 1/2 pound French filet beans (haricots verts), or standard green beans, ends trimmed
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Place a few handfuls of ice cubes in a medium bowl and fill with cold water. Set aside.

Fill a medium saucepan with cold water and add a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, add beans, and cook until they’ve lost their rawness but still retain some bite. (Filet beans will take 3 minutes; standard green beans will take 2 to 3 minutes longer.) Transfer the cooked beans to the ice bath using tongs.

Rinse the pot and fill with fresh cold water. Lower in the eggs, set over high heat, and bring to a rolling boil. Immediately remove from heat, cover tightly, and let stand for 9 minutes.

Meanwhile, lift beans into a colander, pat dry with paper towels, and transfer to a large salad bowl.

When eggs are ready, remove them with a slotted spoon and place in the ice bath until cool enough to handle. (If the water has warmed, add additional ice.) Peel the eggs, chop finely, and distribute over the beans. Add the olives, drizzle with olive oil, and serve immediately.