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© Royalty-Free/Masterfile
3 cups green beans
2-Jan fennel bulb
1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained
540-mL can of your favourite beans
1 pint grape tomatoes
1/3 cup pesto
Generous pinches salt
1 lemon
Partially fill a large frying pan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, trim beans and cut in half. When water is boiling, add beans and cook until tender-crisp, 2 to 3 min. Drain, then plunge into a bowl of ice water and drain again. Dry well.
Cut and discard core and most of the feathery fronds from fennel. Slice fennel into thin strips. Coarsely chop artichokes. Rinse and drain canned beans. Place all in a large bowl. Add fresh beans, tomatoes and pesto. Stir to evenly coat. Taste and add salt if needed. Squeeze about 1 tbsp (15 mL) juice from lemon overtop and stir. Garnish with feathery fronds, if you like. Serve the same day it's made or cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Flavour improves as it sits, but if salad is dry, stir in a little more pesto.
Calories 95, Protein 3g, Carbohydrates 15g, Fat 4g, Fibre 4g, Sodium 316mg.
Crunchy green beans, pert grape tomatoes and store-bought pesto star in this fragrant starter.