Green Beans with Toasted Walnuts and Dried-Cherry Vinaigrette

I made this for Passover this year, and enjoyed it. I used toasted pecans rather than walnuts, and a mostly-rice-vinegar-some-red-wine-vinegar mix instead of sherry vinegar. The green beans I got at the Rochester Public Market were really slender and cute.  From Bon Appetit Nov 2010, via Epicurious.

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup minced shallots

3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Sherry wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon black pepper plus additional (for sprinkling)

1/3 cup dried tart cherries

1 1/2 pounds trimmed slender green beans (such as haricots verts)

1/2 cup walnuts, toasted , chopped

Whisk first 6 ingredients and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Mix in dried cherries; set aside. DO AHEAD: Vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature; rewhisk before using.

Fill large bowl with water and ice; set aside. Cook green beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain. Transfer to bowl with ice water; cool. Drain. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in paper towels; enclose in resealable plastic bag and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before continuing.

Toss green beans, walnuts, and vinaigrette in large bowl. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Transfer to platter and serve.