Potato and Green Bean Salad
Typically, in America, potato salad is a side dish made with boiled potatoes and more mayonnaise than anyone knows what to do with. Of course, a few other ingredients make a standard potato salad with a mayonnaise base taste yummy. Still, for this version of the classic summer side, a combination of vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and lemon is used to create a simple and elegant salad with a subtle but bright flavor.
While there is a tablespoon of mayonnaise in this recipe, most of the flavor comes from the dressing, the herbs, anchovies, raw sliced onions, and garlic. Green beans taste great with lemon and garlic, plus they add a nice pop of color and a much-needed tender crunch to the dish.
Basically, all the main ingredients are quartered, like the potatoes, green beans, and hard-boiled eggs
The dressing ingredients are whisked separately and poured over the potatoes and green beans while they’re still hot
Don’t get me wrong; I LOVE mayonnaise. However, I felt like trying something different this past weekend and decided to whip up my French-inspired potato and green bean salad to share with my friends on a trip to the Poconos. This recipe is a light and healthy take on a quintessential side dish that you’ll find at a picnic or BBQ. It’s simple, easy on the eyes, and adds a touch of sophistication to the spread at any summer event.
I like to eat this salad at room temperature, but whether it’s cold or served straight off the stove, I can assure you, it will taste good. The temperate comes down to personal preference. To be sure, the dish will get better after a few hours absorbing all the flavors from the different ingredients, but if you don’t have the patience to wait or you’re short on time, it’s okay to dig in as soon as you make it.
So fresh and so clean, clean
Ingredients
2 lbs of red Klondike petite potatoes
1 lb of fresh green beans, trimmed, quartered, and thinly sliced
3 large hard-boiled eggs, quartered
5 anchovies, chopped
3/4 cup of red onion, sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
2 tablespoons of parsley, chopped
4 bay leaves
1/3 cup of olive oil, plus two tablespoons
3 tablespoons of white vinegar
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
3 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of salt
(optional): chicken bouillon cube for boiling the potatoes
(optional): mustard seeds
Cooking Instructions
Wash and scrub the potatoes and trim the ends of the green beans
Cut and quarter both the potatoes and green beans
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the potatoes and bay leaves for around 15-20 minutes or until a fork can slide through them
In a separate pot, boil the green beans in salted water for about 3 minutes and immediately transfer them to an ice bath to soak for 5 minutes. Drain the beans and set them aside in a large bowl
In another pot, place eggs in water and bring them to a boil. Turn the heat off, cover the pot, and let the eggs sit in hot water until hard-boiled, around 10 to 12 minutes. When the cooking process is done, transfer the eggs to a bowl of cold water and let them sit for 15 minutes so the shell is easier to peel off
Prep the dressing by mincing the anchovies, slicing the garlic and onions, and measuring the vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, dried oregano, salt, and pepper
Whisk all of the above dressing ingredients together until well combined, and the anchovies have dissolved. Set aside
Drain the potatoes, remove the bay leaves, and combine them in the large bowl with the green beans
Chop the parsley and mix it in with the potatoes and green beans
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together until the ingredients are spread evenly
Peel and quarter the hard-boiled eggs. Place them on top of the salad or in layers between the potatoes and green beans
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or serve warm
