Clementines, feta take green-bean salad up a notch

Green beans can be — well, I’ll say it, boring.

They are one of the most accessible and affordable vegetables on the market, and one of the easiest to prepare, but too often they bring to mind the word “meh.”

But green beans can lend themselves to so many different kinds of preparations and seasonings that there are lots of reasons to make the effort to take them to another level. They can be roasted, steamed, boiled and sautéed, or served at room temperature in a salad, as in this recipe.

Here they are paired with bright, tangy clementine oranges and salty feta, then lifted up another notch with minced shallots and fresh thyme leaves.

If you don’t have coarse Dijon, you can use regular, though I like the extra texture that the coarse variety gives to the dressing.

The beans can be cooked and tossed with the dressing up to two days ahead, which lets them marinate a bit.

Add the oranges and feta just before serving.

All in all, a far cry from “meh.”

Green Bean Salad With Clementine Oranges and Feta

Start to finish: 20 minutes Makes: Six servings 1 1/2 pounds green beans 3 clementines 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 Tbsp minced shallots 1 Tbsp coarse Dijon mustard 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 cup crumbled feta

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Drop the beans into the water and let them cook for three minutes until they start to become tender. Drain the beans in a colander and run cold water over them to stop the cooking, cool them down and preserve the bright green colour.

Peel the clementines and cut each segment in half crosswise. Cut the cooled beans in half crosswise.

In a small bowl or container, combine the olive oil, vinegar, shallots, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper. Whisk or shake to combine. Place the beans and orange segments in a large bowl and drizzle the dressing over them. Toss to combine thoroughly. Add 1/2 cup of the feta and toss again gently to combine, then sprinkle the rest of the feta on top. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Nutrition information per serving: 166 calories; 93 calories from fat; 10 g fat; 22 mg cholesterol; 337 mg sodium; 14 g carbohydrate; 4 g fibre; 8 g sugar; 6 g protein.