25 TO 30 MINUTES (15 ACTIVE)
4 SERVINGS AND 1 LUNCH THE NEXT DAY
Pistou is the wonderful Provençal sauce made of pounded basil and garlic. Pistou is best known as the killer garnish in a gorgeous summer vegetable soup. But since you don’t always want to eat a hot soup, I’ve turned those same elements—beans, summer squash, and pistou—into a hearty dinner salad that you can prep well before serving. For the freshest flavor and color, wait to dress the salad until just before serving.
• Fine sea salt
• 2 cups finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more to taste
• 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
• 5 large eggs
• 1 large leek (white and light green parts), cut into ⅛-inch slices, rinsed
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, or 1¼ cup beans cooked from dry
• 1½ pounds green zucchini (about 4 medium), shaved into thin ribbons
• Freshly ground black pepper and flaky sea salt to taste
Bring a large pot of fine-sea-salted water to a boil. Lay 2 kitchen towels out on 2 large plates or baking sheets. Have ready a slotted spoon or spider to remove ingredients from the water and a bowl of ice water for the eggs.
In a small bowl, combine herbs, grated garlic, fine sea salt to taste, and 3 tablespoons of oil. Stir in the lemon juice. Set aside the pistou.
When the water comes to a boil, add the green beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Using the slotted spoon or spider, remove the green beans to one of the kitchen towels.
Gently lower the eggs into the water and bring it back to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for 7 minutes for a soft-set egg. Remove the eggs to the bowl of ice water to cool.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the leek, sliced garlic, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leek has softened but is still a bit chewy, about 2 minutes. Stir the cannellini beans into the warm leek slices, turn off the heat, add the shaved zucchini, and toss to combine.
In a large bowl, combine the green beans, leek, bean and zucchini mixture, and the pistou. Toss well and taste the vegetables, adding more lemon juice or salt, if desired. Peel the eggs and cut them in quarters, season them with pepper and flaky sea salt, and use them to garnish the salad.