Green Bean Salad with Hearts of Palm, Olives, Red Pepper, and Feta

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh green beans, preferably French green beans
• 1-2 cups sliced hearts of palm
• 3/4 cup Kalamata olives or black olives, drained and sliced in half
• 1 cup roasted red bell pepper from a jar, diced in pieces about 3/8 inch square
• 1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• 2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1-2 T chopped fresh oregano
• 1-2 T chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Trim the green beans. An easy way is to hold a loose handful upright on the cutting board so the tips are even, slice off the ends, then flip the bundle and do the same on the other side. Cut the beans into pieces about 2 inches long.
2. Cook the beans in a steamer basket set inside a large covered pot, or use an electric vegetable steamer, just until they are barely tender but still crisp. Start checking at 7 minutes, especially if you like a snappy green bean.
3. As soon as the beans are cooked to your liking, take them out of the steamer and drop them straight into a bowl of ice water so they stop cooking.
4. Transfer the beans to a colander and leave them to cool and drain about 15 minutes. After that, lay them out on paper towels and pat away the excess moisture.
5. While the beans are cooking, drain and slice the hearts of palm, drain and chop the roasted red peppers, drain the olives and halve them, and measure the Feta.
6. Combine the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, lemon zest, chopped fresh oregano, and chopped fresh basil, then process until the herbs are finely minced and the dressing is blended. A small chopper attachment for an immersion blender works well here, or you can use a food processor.
7. For the salad, put the drained beans in a bowl with the sliced hearts of palm, halved olives, and chopped red pepper.
8. Pour on enough dressing to lightly coat everything, then toss gently. You may not use all of it.
9. Add the Feta and stir just enough to distribute it without breaking it up too much.
10. Finish with freshly ground black pepper and serve right away. Leftovers will keep for several days in the refrigerator, but let them come to room temperature before serving.