The Secret Ingredient (Dijon Mustard): Warm Green Bean Salad with Shallots and Mustard Recipe

By
Kerry Saretsky
a photograph of Kerry Seretsky, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kerry Saretsky

Kerry Saretsky interned at Serious Eats in 2008, and wrote the French in a Flash recipe column. She also writes her own blog on modernized French cuisine called French Revolution Food.

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Updated Aug. 30, 2018
20110818GreenBeansAndMustard.jpg
Photographs: Kerry Saretsky

Okay, so strictly speaking, this recipe does not use Dijon mustard. But if we change this month's ingredient to Mustard from Dijon, then this still counts. These green beans make use of old-fashioned mustard (moutarde à l'ancien) from Dijon, and I've always loved the name "moutarde à l'ancien" because it makes it sound like it's the true, original Dijon mustard.

The truth of the matter is, I hardly ever use one without the other. I add a spoonful of Dijon mustard for creaminess, and spice, and then a spoonful of whole grain mustard for texture and visuality. Whole grain mustard from Dijon has a very similar flavor profile to Dijon mustard—the tang and acidity of the wine, the spice of the mustard, but the mustard seeds are left whole, and so it has that crunch, and the beautiful look of being studded with golden mustard seeds.

I was inspired to make my own version of this dish after seeing something similar in a French cooking magazine. Warm blanched haricots verts, tossed in a warm vinaigrette of soft shallots, olive oil, white wine vinegar, and grain mustard. I love that the white wine vinegar serves to enhance the acidity of the white wine within the mustard, giving the salad a new-pickled quality. The shallots, and even the chervil on top, are somewhat sweet, and counter that acidity. It is so good, if you're looking for a different kind of vegetable, look no further. This is my holy vegetable grail.

Recipe Details

The Secret Ingredient (Dijon Mustard): Warm Green Bean Salad with Shallots and Mustard Recipe

Active 10 mins
Total 10 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt

  • 14 ounces trimmed haricots verts

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced

  • 3 teaspoons white wine vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons grain mustard (or more to taste)

  • Black pepper

  • 2 tablespoons fresh chervil, torn

Directions

  1. Bring a pot of water to boil, salt the water, and blanch the haricots verts for until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain.

  2. Put the pot back on medium-low heat, and once the pot is dry, add the oil. Add the shallots, and sauté, stirring often, until just soft and fragrant, but not golden, about 4 minutes. Add the vinegar, mustard, and black pepper. Stir to incorporate all the ingredients. Add the haricots verts back to the pain, and toss with the warm vinaigrette. Plate the beans, and top with the chervil. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
151 Calories
11g Fat
14g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 151
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 230mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 12mg 62%
Calcium 70mg 5%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 295mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)