Green Bean and Whole-grain Penne Salad

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds green beans, stems trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-in. lengths
• 16 ounces whole-grain penne, rotini, rotelle, or fusilli pasta
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• About 1/3 lb. Roquefort cheese
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons each finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and finely chopped chives
• 5 crisply cooked thick slices bacon, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Salt

Preparation

1. 1. Bring 2 large pots of salted water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice and cold water. In one pot, boil green beans 3 minutes; drain and plunge in ice water to stop cooking. In the other, cook pasta until tender to the bite, 9 to 12 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water until completely cool (see Notes).
2. 2. In a food processor, pulse mayonnaise, Roquefort, and vinegar until well combined but still slightly chunky.
3. 3. In a large bowl, toss together pasta, green beans, Roquefort dressing, parsley, chives, bacon, and pepper until pasta is well coated. Season with salt to taste.
4. Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1-cup serving.