Vegan Green Bean and Artichoke Niçoise Salad

In the style of Nice, Niçoise salad is a typical Provençal salad, usually made with anchovies. We use capers instead to give the salad a salty distinctive taste. Instead of the usual new potatoes, we've loaded ours with french beans, runner beans, and butter beans.

Green bean and Artichoke Niçoise Salad

Serves 4 as a light lunch

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 250g runner beans, sliced thinly on the diagonal
• 250g French beans, trimmed
• 150g artichoke hearts from a jar or tin, drained and quartered
• 2 tsp capers in brine, drained, rinsed and roughly chopped
• 15 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 50g black olives

Tomato and Basil Vinaigrette

• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 garlic clove
• Small handful basil leaves
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Pinch of sugar
• Torn basil leaves for garnish

Method

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the runner beans and French beans till just tender. Drain in a colander and run under cold water to cool quickly.
2. Make the tomato vinaigrette by blending the tomato with the vinegar till smooth. Strain the tomato mix through a sieve into a bowl.
3. Blend the garlic, basil and olive oil until smooth and add to the tomato vinegar.
4. Season with salt and pepper and add a pinch of sugar if it tastes too sharp.
5. Pour the vinaigrette into a saucepan and heat gently. Add in the butter beans, artichokes and capers, and stir gently to warm through. Remove from the heat.
6. Arrange the blanched green bean on a serving plate, and spoon the warm butter beans and artichokes over.
7. Scatter over the cherry tomatoes and olives with torn basil leaves to garnish.
8. Serve with warm crusty bread to mop up the vinaigrette.

Delicious food photography by Rob Wicks of Eat Pictures.

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