Cherry Tomato and Fresh Shelling Bean Salad with Herb Vinaigrette

Yield: 4 servings

• 1 teaspoon shallot, finely diced
• 2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 ½ cup fresh shelling beans, cooled, cooked and strained of their liquid
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme or oregano, finely chopped
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Greek yogurt, for plating

Step 1: 

In a small bowl or jar, let the shallot macerate with the vinegar for 15 minutes.

Step 2:

Cut the cherry tomatoes through the north and south pole and place in a medium bowl, add the beans and set aside.

Step 3:

Make the Vinaigrette.

Pound the garlic clove in a mortar with a pestle until it is a paste, add the chopped herbs and pound them until they have broken down a bit and seem a little wet. Add the olive oil and stir with a small spoon until the mixture is a saucy consistency. Strain the shallots out of the vinegar and add to the mortar, stirring with the small spoon, season with a pinch of salt.

Step 4:

Add enough vinaigrette to the bowl, just enough to coat the tomatoes and beans. Then add a little more to make the mixture seem saucy, season with salt. Spoon some yogurt into the bottom of a wide serving bowl, then spoon the salad on top. The vinaigrette will become creamy when mixing with the yogurt in the bowl.