A Summer Salad to Enjoy with Red Wine

Inspired by the green bean surplus in our winery gardens, Far Niente Chef Sarah Walz created a summer three bean salad and lamb merguez recipe that pairs beautifully with our Far Niente Cabernet. Her menu is a delicious reminder that fresh summer salads and red wine can mix, especially when plated alongside savory grilled sausages.

"I just love how this Summer Three Bean Salad with Grilled Lamb Merguez highlights the fresh dark berry fruit flavors of our Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s one of my favorite summer red wine pairings. This recipe works beautifully with freshly steamed green beans as well as dilly beans, which is what we called the salty-crisp pickled green beans my mom used to preserve when I was growing up. I can’t wait for you to make and taste it for yourself.” - Far Niente Chef Sarah Walz

Grilled Lamb Merguez Sausage with Summer Three Bean Salad

Ingredients:

Serves 6

6 lamb merguez links

1 pound fresh butter beans simmered in chicken stock until tender and cooled to room temp.

1-pound fresh cranberry beans simmered in chicken stock until tender and cooled to room temp.

2 cups freshly steamed green beans or sliced dilly beans

1 teaspoon chopped summer savory

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 cup diced celery

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup olive oil

Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

Method:

For the salad: In a large mixing bowl whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey, red wine vinegar, one teaspoon kosher salt and one half teaspoon pepper. Add the olive oil and whisk to combine. Drain the cooking liquid from your beans and add to the vinaigrette. Add the diced celery, shallots, chopped herbs and pickled green beans, combining well. Check your seasoning and then let stand for as little as two hours or, preferably, overnight. The key to this (and most!) three bean salads is in the marinating of the beans. The earlier you start, the better!

When you're ready to grill: Heat your grill to medium high, and grill the merguez for approximately five minutes while rotating for even cooking. If you like your sausage a little more done, add a minute or two to the grill time. Set aside to cool.

We love to serve the salad and sausages family style, with an accompanying glass – or two – of Far Niente Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon. Bon appetit!