This is a Salad that Satisfies on All Levels.
I’m here once again with a salad that contains tinned fish. As you’ve gleaned, I’m very fond of most all kinds of fish packed in olive oil. And I’ve learned, as with most things, the better the brand, the better the fish. Mackerel and sardines are particular favorites, but tuna would also be delicious in this salad.
This salad came about because I had some great green beans and wanted to serve them in a salad. There are so many ways to go with a green bean salad, but this one ended up being a full meal when some crusty toasted bread was added. That’s why I didn’t mind taking the time to sauté some almonds in butter and cook up a chorizo vinaigrette. I had dinner covered and this was on the table in about 45 minutes.
It’s important that Spanish chorizo is used here and not fresh Mexican chorizo. They are very different products and you want the dried Spanish version that is flavored with paprika. I happened to have 2 tins of mackerel that was packed in olive oil and Spanish paprika, so I felt the chorizo would me a natural flavor combination.
By the way, I don’t know if any of you have tried the pitted Peruvian olives known as Black Botija olives, but a friend of mine sent me a pack of them about a year ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since. They’re oil cured, big, and soft, with a deep rich flavor. They’re like no other olives I’ve ever tasted. The brand is Sunfood and they can be had from Amazon. But any oil cured black olive would be good in this salad.
The warm chorizo vinaigrette is really wonderful mixed with all the other salad ingredients. This meal satisfies on all levels. I’m a sucker for any meal in which I wipe the plate clean with some good bread. I can’t think of anything I’d rather be eating on these warm summer nights.
Green Bean, Chorizo, and Mackerel Salad
4 - 6
servingsA Room Temperature Salad of Green Beans, Tomatoes, Onions, and Mackerel with a Warm Chorizo Vinaigrette
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Ingredients
1 pound 1 green beans, trimmed
1/2 cup 1/2 sliced almonds
1 tablespoon 1 salted butter
1/4 cup 1/4 olive oil
6 ounces 6 Spanish chorizo, half sliced and the other half chopped
1 teaspoon 1 dried oregano
1 teaspoon 1 smoked paprika
2 tablespoons 2 sherry vinegar
1 pound 1 tomatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 large 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup 1/3 oil cured olives, pitted
2 4 ounce 2 tins mackerel, packed in olive oil and Spanish paprika or plain mackerel in olive oil
1/2 cup 1/2 flat leaf parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the green beans and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and plunge the green beans into a large bowl of ice water. Stir them around until they’re completely cool. Drain and place on a clean tea towel and allow them to dry. Set aside.
- In a medium skillet, heat the butter over medium heat until foaming. Add the almonds and sauté until golden - about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add all the chorizo and cook for about 5 minutes, until the chorizo is rendering its fat. Add the oregano and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute longer. Remove the pan from the heat and add the sherry vinegar. Let cool for a couple of minutes while you place the green beans, tomatoes, onion, olives and mackerel on a large platter.
- Pour the chorizo and warm dressing over the salad. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Scatter on the parsley leaves and reserved almonds. Enjoy!
4 Responses
Hi Renée, Sharon from Milk Street community here! I have been looking for a new green bean salad recipe all Spring! This one looks like it will do the trick, and I know my British husband will love the idea of tinned mackerel. Thanks!!
Hi, Sharon. I’m so happy to see you here! I’ve only started eating the tinned mackerel in the last couple of years and I’m really crazy about it. I’m always thinking of ways to use it. I thought the green beans would be a natural pairing. The warm smoky chorizo vinaigrette adds a really nice touch to this one. Hope you and your husband enjoy it! Please let me know. Thanks!
Looking forward to making this – love all the ingredients! Trader Joes almost always has 12oz packages of fresh French style Haricot Verts that are a reliable quality.
Very good to know, Patricia! Those will be perfect in this salad. Hope you enjoy it!