Like most Italian recipes, the most important thing is to be sure and use the freshest ingredients.
If the green beans are fresh and tender, cooked properly and simply dressed, this simple dish is an absolutely amazing, refreshing salad.
My mother loved serving this delicious salad of tender green beans, olive oil, vinegar & tons of fresh mint. She used to add a small amount of breadcrumbs to the dressing which helped the vinaigrette stick onto the green beans.
A great childhood memory!

Green Bean Salad

Green beans come in a range of varieties, each with subtle differences in texture and flavor. Common types include slender French haricots verts, which are tender and dark in color; standard American green beans, slightly firmer and larger with a more pronounced “bean” flavor; and flat Romano beans, prized for their meaty texture and robust taste. Purple and yellow wax beans add visual contrast, though they cook similarly to green varieties.

Nutritionally, green beans are low in calories and high in fiber, supporting digestive health while providing vitamins A, C, and K. They also contain folate and antioxidants that contribute to immune function and overall cellular health, making them a versatile and nutritious addition to the table.

Prep Time: 2o min to assemble 

Cooking Time: 30 min to marinate

Yield: 4 portions


Ingredients      

1 lb.            Green beans, stem end snipped off                     


Dressing:                                                 

2  oz.        Red wine vinegar                       

6  oz.       Olive oil                                     

1/2 tsp    Kosher Salt                                       

t.t.            Black pepper                                                     

1 oz.         Garlic, sliced thinly                       

4  oz.       Mint, chiffonade       

2 Tbsp    Breadcrumbs 

            


How to make Summer Heirloom Tomato Salad

Step 1   Cooking the beans

Boil the beans separately in salted, boiling water, when the beans are tender (about 6 minutes), shock in ice water and drain. Reserve. 

Step 2

Whisk all of the salad dressing ingredients together, add the green beans and toss so that the beans are all covered with the dressing.








Marinate for 30 minutes and enjoy.



You can prepare a variety of delicious, green bean salads with this vinaigrette recipe-just add wax beans or fava beans or snow peas and your favorite herbs and spices.

Beginners recipe: Vegetable Stock

By Tom Griffiths • January 16, 2026
I recently volunteered to prepare vegetable paella for a church Bible group potluck. I was very excited to develop a delicious, new paella recipe and spent time preparing fresh vegetable stock with flavors of the Mediterranean. I always prepare vegetable and fish stocks fresh, as I intend to use them. I’m not a fan of bases or frozen stocks but I sometimes add a small amount of quality base to my stocks.  A vegetable stock with mirepoix, cabbage, mushrooms makes sense in certain applications, for certain recipes—but why would we use a mushroom or cabbage-forward stock in a paella? It doesn’t make culinary sense. Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain as a humble meal cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed wonderful paella meals in Valencia prepared with water-not stock, prepared with rabbit, snails and local beans. While traveling through Spain this spring I researched and sampled many styles of paella… no mushrooms, no carrots, no celery and no cabbage.

Beginners recipe: Breakfast Burritos

By Tom Griffiths • January 16, 2026
I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable.

Beginners recipe: Stuffed Peppers

By Tom Griffiths • January 15, 2026
Chefs often share a bond that transcends politics, religion, and borders. While working in Saudi Arabia with a diverse group of chefs, I experienced this firsthand on my final day. To mark the occasion, they prepared special dishes representing their home countries—a generous feast rooted in tradition and pride. At the center of the table was a beautiful tray of stuffed peppers, zucchini, cabbages, squash, and other vegetables, each prepared with care and respect. As we shared the meal, the chefs beamed with pride, and the room filled with a sense of genuine camaraderie. It was a powerful reminder that food remains one of the most universal languages we have.

Beginners recipe: Cutting Zuchini

By Tom Griffiths • January 15, 2026
I remember a chef teaching me to carefully slice the center seeds from a zucchini and then prepare beautiful dices for a ratatouilli. The seeds and center area get soft and mushy before the outer 'meaty' section of the squash cooks.

Macaroni and Cheese

By Tom Griffiths • January 15, 2026
Lobster macaroni and cheese is my all time favorite version of Mac and Cheese... I make it by preparing a classic lobster sauce, (flambé and all) and blending it with Béchamel sauce, macaroni and sweet, tender chunks of freshly poached lobster. Macaroni and cheese with pancetta

Culinary Basics; The Art of Stocks-Vegetable Stock

By Tom Griffiths • January 13, 2026
Culinary Basics: The Art of preparing Stocks

Paella

By Tom Griffiths • January 13, 2026
Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain. It is a humble meal, originally cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed many wonderful paella meals in Spain. In Valencia I had a local paella with rabbit, snails and local beans. Short-grained rice is always used to prepare Paella, there are several great Spanish varieties like Bomba and Calasparra , prized for absorbing the delicious, flavorful stock and flavors of the ingredients without getting mushy. This is important for creating the dish's signature, crusty bottom layer called the socarrat. Paella is all about the rice!

Copy of Beginners Recipe: Breakfast Burrito

By Tom Griffiths • January 7, 2026
I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable. 

Tenderloin Steak

By Tom Griffiths • January 6, 2026
Beef Wellington is a restaurant classic! Chefs prepare whole tenderloins, wrapped in pastry as well as individually portioned Wellingtons. Culinary historians widely agree that Beef Wellington evolved from French preparations such as filet de bœuf en croûte, which paired beef tenderloin with mushrooms and pastry—techniques well established in French haute cuisine.

Zesting and cutting Orange Supremes

By Tom Griffiths • January 4, 2026
Oranges are fantastic in Baking & Pastry. I developed a delicious dessert for the CMC exam (Healthy Cooking) challenge featuring Orange Creamsicle Sorbet with Roasted, Candied Pineapple and Fruit Strudel... with plenty of guidance from the amazing CIA Pastry Instructors! Types of Oranges: There are several distinct varieties of oranges, each with unique characteristics and flavors. The most common type is the Navel orange , recognized for its seedless, sweet flesh and thick, easy-to-peel skin. Valencia oranges are another popular variety, primarily known for their juiciness and are often used for making orange juice. Other notable types include Blood oranges , which have a deep red interior and a distinct berry-like flavor, and Cara Cara oranges , characterized by their pinkish-red flesh and sweet taste. Additionally, Seville oranges , known for their bitterness, are mainly used in making marmalade and flavoring liqueurs.