Wax Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese

• Recipe by Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Some lovely, fresh French goat cheese in the kitchen at his Bora Bora restaurant, Lagoon, inspired Vongerichten to create this summery Provençal-style salad.

Ingredients

1. 2 cups packed basil leaves
2. 3/4 pound yellow wax beans
3. 1/4 cup vegetable oil
4. Salt
5. 6 ounces fresh goat cheese, plus 2 tablespoons crumbled
6. 2 tablespoons buttermilk
7. 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
8. 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
9. 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
10. 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
11. 1 Thai green chile, minced
12. 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions

1. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, blanch the basil for 20 seconds. Plunge the basil leaves into a bowl of ice water; drain and squeeze dry.
2. Cook the beans in the boiling water until just tender, 4 minutes. Transfer the beans to the ice water; drain and pat dry. Cut the beans on the bias into 1-inch lengths.
3. In a blender, puree the basil with the vegetable oil. Strain and season with salt.
4. In a food processor, puree the 6 ounces of goat cheese with the buttermilk, lime juice and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with salt.
5. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes, shallot, chile, vinegar and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt. Let stand for 15 minutes, tossing a few times.
6. Toss the wax beans with the goat cheese dressing. Mound the beans on plates and top with the cherry tomato salad. Drizzle with the basil oil, sprinkle with the crumbled goat cheese and serve.