Last night I got together with some friends to see the New York Philharmonic perform one of their free concerts happening in NYC parks this summer. It was one of those perfect summer nights...
with wonderful friends (not all of whom are pictured....some are camera-shy!)...
and lots of shareable picnic food...
I sautéed the sausage and zucchini above, cut up some gouda cheese, and made a String Bean & Basil Salad (recipe at the end of the post!)...
I love listening to the Philharmonic, but in the park I have to admit it felt more like background music as I spent time chatting and catching up with friends!
And, after the grand finale, came the fireworks...
A perfect ending! I had skipped out on 4th of July fireworks so it was great to get to see some this summer!
And now for the recipe!
String Bean & Basil Salad
Ingredients:
1 lb of String Beans
1 large Red Onion
4 small Tomatoes (on the vine) (Use less if you have larger tomatoes)
15 Basil Leaves (approx.)
Red Wine Vinegar or Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Sea Salt & Ground Pepper
*Note: I bought the String Beans, Onion, and Basil at my local Farmer's Market, which gave this salad an extra fresh taste!)
Directions:
1. Cut or snap the ends off the string beans. Cook them in a wok or stir-fry pan in a couple of inches of salted water (bring water to boil and then reduce to medium heat) for about 3 minutes. They should be slightly cooked, bright green, and crunchy! Drain and cool when done.
2. Pick Basil leaves from its stems,wash and dry thoroughly. Chop the onion into thin slices, and the tomato into bite size pieces.
3. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. If you prep this salad the night before, hold off on the vinegar & olive oil until you're ready to serve it. I used a very generous amount of Red Wine Vinegar, Sea Salt, & Ground Pepper, and just a couple of dashes of Olive Oil. *Note: Red Wine Vinegar has a very sharp taste, so if you'd like something milder and sweeter use Balsamic!
This was a perfect picnic dish....Let me know if you try it out, or if you have any other great picnic recipes to share!
