Recipe: Green Bean, Smoked Sausage and Hard-Cooked Egg Salad

GREEN BEAN, SMOKED SAUSAGE
AND HARD-COOKED EGG SALAD

14 ounces cervelat (garlicky cured pork sausage) (or other uncooked, lightly smoked sausage such as kielbasa)
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed, strings removed if necessary
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1 large shallot, cut lengthwise in half and then into paper-thin slices
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
FOR THE SALAD:
4 large hard-cooked eggs, cut into quarters

TO PREPARE THE SAUSAGE:
Place sausages in medium saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until sausages are cooked, about 20 minutes (10 minutes if using kielbasa). Remove from heat and leave sausages in poaching water to stay warm.

TO PREPARE THE BEANS:
Bring about 3 cups water to boil in bottom of steamer. Place beans in top of steamer, cover and steam until they are tender through, about 15 minutes.

WHILE BEANS ARE STEAMING, MAKE VINAIGRETTE:
Whisk together vinegar, shallot and salt and pepper to taste in a large serving bowl. Add oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly until vinaigrette emulsifies and thickens.

TO PREPARE THE SALAD:
Tip steamed beans into vinaigrette and toss until thoroughly coated. Season well with salt and pepper.

Slice sausages on the diagonal into 1/4-inch slices and add to beans, tossing thoroughly. Arrange egg quarters on top of salad. Serve salad warm or at room temperature.

Servings: 6-8
Adapted from source: Cooking at Home on Rue Tatin by Susan Herrmann Loomis