Thanksgiving Green Bean Salad with Blue Cheese, Dried Cranberries, and Pecans

Directions

Fill a medium-sized pot with water, add the salt, and bring water to a boil while you trim the beans. Trim both ends of green beans. Cut beans into short pieces, 1-2 inches long, and wash in salad spinner if needed. Add beans to the water when it comes to a boil and cook 4-5 minutes, or just until beans are barely done but still slightly crisp. Drain immediately into a colander placed in the sink and rinse with VERY COLD water. Let beans drain in the colander a few minutes, then gently spin in a salad spinner. Lay out a paper towel, spread out the beans, put another paper towel over the top, and blot dry, until the beans are as dry as you can get them. While beans cook, whisk together the vinegar, Dijon, olive oil, and pepper to make the dressing. When the beans are dry, put into a plastic bowl and toss with dressing. When you’re ready to serve the salad, toast the pecans for about 2 minutes in a dry pan over high heat, shaking the pan the whole time so they don’t burn. Put pecans on a cutting board to cool; then coarsely chop. Measure the dried cranberries and crumble the blue cheese. Toss all ingredients together and season to taste with more fresh-ground black pepper.