Green Bean Salad With Hot Mustard Dressing

Hot mustard powder brings a sharp, spicy twist to traditional mustard vinaigrette, which complements sweet green beans well. The beans are blanched until crisp-tender, then tossed in the vinaigrette while still hot. As the beans cool, they absorb all the flavors of mild shallot, fragrant garlic, tangy rice vinegar and hot mustard. Rich, roasted pecans add nutty sweetness to balance the spicy dressing. Though the salad can be made a few hours ahead, you’ll want to top it with the nuts right before serving to preserve their crunch. The beans themselves can be served at room temperature or chilled.

Ingredients

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 2

  tablespoons Asian hot mustard powder (or Colman’s dry mustard powder)

• ¼

  cup neutral oil, such as safflower or canola

• ¼

  cup minced shallot

• 2

  tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

• 1

  tablespoon minced peeled ginger

• 1 ½

  teaspoons granulated sugar

• 1

  teaspoon minced garlic

• ¼

  cup thinly sliced scallions (from 2 scallions)

• 2

  pounds green beans, trimmed

• ¼

  cup chopped roasted pecans

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. In a large bowl, combine mustard powder and 2 tablespoons of very hot water; mix well. Let stand for 5 minutes to bloom. Add oil, shallot, rice vinegar, ginger, sugar and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth, then stir in scallions.
3. Once the water is boiling, add the green beans and blanch them until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to the large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and toss until evenly coated in the dressing. Let cool, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
4. Transfer beans to a serving bowl or platter. Serve at room temperature or chilled, and top with the pecans.