Green Bean Salad with Almonds and Vinaigrette

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Prepare a large bowl of iced water beside the stove. Mince the shallots, measure all remaining ingredients, and tear the herbs.

Combine the minced shallots with the white wine vinegar and lemon juice in a small bowl and leave to macerate for 10 minutes — this softens their raw edge and turns them a gentle pink.

Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden in patches and smelling nutty, about 4–5 minutes. Tip onto a board and roughly chop once cool enough to handle.

Whisk the Dijon mustard into the macerated shallot mixture until combined, then stream in the olive oil while whisking constantly until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Season with half the salt and all of the black pepper.

Drop the trimmed green beans into the boiling water and cook until just tender but with a distinct bite, about 3–4 minutes.

Drain the beans immediately and plunge them into the iced water. Leave for 2 minutes until completely cold, then drain and pat thoroughly dry with a clean towel.

Toss the dried beans with the vinaigrette until every pod is coated, then fold in the chopped toasted almonds, parsley, and tarragon. Taste and adjust salt, then transfer to a serving platter.