Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Have a large bowl of ice water nearby. Add the green beans to the pot and cook for 2 minutes for haricot vert, 3 minutes for regular green beans. Drain, then immediately plunge the beans into the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. When cool, drain and shake off as much excess water as possible.
In a large bowl combine the olive oil, shallots, sherry vinegar, Dijon, capers, honey, salt and pepper, olives, basil and dill. Add the beans and toss to coat with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
This Green Bean Nicoise Salad would be perfect to bring along on a picnic, perfect to bring to a potluck. But while something about them seems summery, and that’s when you can grab fresh green beans from the farmer’s market or your neighbor’s garden, they would be great all year round.