Ottolenghi green bean salad

I'm such a lousy/lazy blogger - no post in several weeks. I'm really good at looking at other blogs though, does that count? I particularly love it when the Daring Bakers are getting their whisks and spatulas out and across the world, bloggers tackle the same elaborate cake recipe. Just look at all those Filbert Gâteaux! They look amazing! I love the idea of joining the Daring Bakers myself but two things stop me:

1. I can't even find time to write my "regular" posts so I won't kid myself into thinking that I might engage in some very advanced baking once a month and write about it, too.
2. The effect on my waistline would be devastating. Daring Bakers is safer for large households.

I'll stick to reading about other people's adventures with buttercream and génoise and things and try to write about my own humble recipes, such as this bean salad from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook.

Well. I should have known better. I dislike crisp, squeaky green beans and yet, I followed the instructions and cooked the beans for only a couple of minutes. The stiff unyielding beans then managed to keep the other tastes at bay, as if they were sitting in the bowl with their arms crossed, thinking that no way were they going to snuggle up to toasted hazelnuts and orange juice. Can you tell from the picture how stubborn they were? Next time, I'll definitely cook the beans until soft, even if they loose their vibrant colour.

I put down the bean salad as I'd make it in the future, not quite Ottolenghi style but certainly strongly inspired by the recipe in the fabulous book.

Green bean salad with toasted hazelnuts and orange vinaigrette
(serves 4 as a starter)

• 500g grean beans
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• a small handfull toasted hazelnuts, chopped
• juice of one orange
• a little orange zest
• olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook the beans until tender, the drain. Stir the orange juice, zest, olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic together. In a large bowl, combine the beans, vinaigrette and hazelnuts and let sit for at least thirty minutes in order for the flavours to combine. Fresh goat cheese and rustic bread are perfect companions.