Green Bean and Potato Salad

It’s somehow already August and Minnesota’s farmers have lots to offer us!  Each week at the market there are new fruits and vegetables to look through and experiment with.   But as much as I love buying new produce and learning how to prepare it, there’s something comforting about the classics.  Here’s a salad that’s perfect for summer and simply highlights two things I love – green beans and new potatoes.

Green bean and potato salad

You will need:

-Green beans (trimmed)

• The skinny, French “haricots verts” are the best, but regular green beans work just fine.  If you can get them locally grown do so, as fresh beans are just delightful.  Mix yellow and green beans if they’re both available

-Baby potatoes (leave them whole, but if some are too big then cut them in half)

• Use new potatoes if you can get them (also referred to as fingerling or baby potatoes), otherwise just small potatoes, about the size of your thumb.  Sometimes I mix the white and purple ones for a fun color contrast in the salad

-For the dressing: (ingredients in photo below)

• Note: amounts are approximate – I’m not big on measuring, sorry
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. white wine or cider vinegar (not shown in picture)
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup shallots or fresh chives (finely chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: additional chopped fresh herbs, like tarragon, dill, or even basil

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
2. Add potatoes and cook for about 10-12 minutes, or until potatoes are mostly cooked but still a bit firm (exact cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes so check them often)
3. While the potatoes are boiling make the dressing by simply mixing together the above-mentioned ingredients.  Sometimes I use my mini food processor, but most often I just put everything in a jam jar, seal it tightly, and shake
4. Add green beans to pot with the potatoes, return to a boil, and cook for an additional 3 minutes (3 minutes, that’s it – DON’T OVERCOOK YOUR BEANS!)
5. Tricky thing about green beans, they retain some of the cooking water so they continue to cook even once they’re out of the boiling water, so you have to take them out before you think they’re actually done
6. Drain everything in a large colander and then place potatoes and beans in a large bowl
7. While everything is still hot, drizzle the dressing over the potatoes and beans and gently mix it all together (the potatoes will be fragile and you don’t want them to break too much).  Dressing this salad when everything is still warm allows the dressing to be absorbed by the vegetables, making them all the more delicious
8. Taste, and add more salt or pepper if needed

et voilà! You’re done.  I usually serve this salad warm, and it’s a perfect accompaniment to salmon or grilled chicken.  Sometimes I even put eggs into the pot with the potatoes and hard boil them (10 minutes) – the combination of this salad with slices of hard boiled eggs makes a perfect lunch, especially if you have a nice loaf of crusty baguette handy!