Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Chopped Eggs and Walnut Oil Vinaigrette

Pairs nicely with SCHUG Sonoma Coast Sauvignon Blanc

• 1 lb. fresh green beans (yellow or green- a mix is pretty), blanched and chilled
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 3 hard cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup Walnut Oil Vinaigrette (see below)*

Make vinaigrette. Arrange beans onto a serving plate in a decorative manner. Next, sprinkle the chopped tomatoes over the green beans. Top the vegetables with the chopped egg and then the chopped tarragon and chives. Sprinkle a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper over all, especially the hard cooked egg. Carefully pour about half of the vinaigrette over the salad and see if it is enough to your taste. Add more if desired. Serve salad at room temperature or chilled. Makes about 6 servings.

*WALNUT OIL VINAIGRETTE

• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp. sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 tbsp. shallot, finely chopped
• 1 cup walnut oil

Place the mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and shallot into a small mixing bowl and whisk them to blend evenly. Next, while whisking briskly, add the walnut oil to the mustard mixture in a very slow, thin stream. Keep whisking until all the oil has been incorporated into the vinaigrette. Once the oil has been added, set the vinaigrette aside. Any vinaigrette not used in the salad recipe above will keep very nicely for a week or two in a jar in your refrigerator. Makes a little more than one cup.