blistered green beans and tomatoes with sweet & spicy sesame sauce

It's Labor Day weekend, and everyone's shifting into fall mode. Meanwhile, it's 97°F outside and the summertime garden will not quit. Every year I forget that it takes until August for the tomatoes to turn red; and once they start turning, we can barely keep up.

I have yet to delve into the world of canning, so I'm doing my best to have fun with these fresh garden spoils. Last week I made a loosey-goosey eggs in purgatory. This week, it's blistered beans and tomatoes.

Watch the video!

Even if you stopped at blistering, this dish would be wonderful. But the sauce adds a little heat and umami that has me swooning. It's got a base of tahini, gochujang, and mayo; then it’s punched up with sesame oil, honey, and lime juice. For the garnish, avocado brings a cool creaminess, the toasted sesame seeds a nutty crunch (crushed peanuts would be good too!).

I'm an Autumn Lady through and through, but this year, I'm reminding myself that most of September is still technically summer, despite my desire for a switch to be flipped on September 1st. It just takes so much energy to resent the weather. So instead, I'll keep drinking iced lattes, eating s'mores, and cooking light dishes of late summer produce.

But make no mistake: on September 23, the gloves come off.

blistered green beans and tomatoes with sweet & spicy sesame sauce

sauce:

1 tablespoon tahini

1 tsp gochujang

1 tablespoon mayo

1 tsp sesame oil

1 teaspoon honey (hot honey if you have it!)

2 tsp lime juice

1 tbsp water

Pinch salt

the rest:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil plus 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

8 oz green beans

8 oz cherry tomatoes, whole

2 cloves garlic, sliced

Pinch salt

1/2 avocado cut into cubes

1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Lime wedge for garnish

directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients and set aside.

2. In a cast iron skillet, heat the vegetable and sesame oils over medium heat.

3. Add the green beans to the skillet and cook, tossing occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until they are slightly blistered.

4. Add the sliced garlic and whole cherry tomatoes to the skillet. Season with salt. Toss frequently for 1 to 2 minutes.

5. Pour the beans and tomatoes into a serving bowl and toss with the sauce.

6. Plate the salad and top it with the cubed avocado, toasted sesame seeds, and a squeeze of lime juice.