green bean + potato salad

Hi friends. How are you? It’s been a while.

I’m not sure what to say, for once. It feels like there is too much to say, too much to express and ask and worry about. So much that it crashes over me like a wave and then it’s gone. And I wonder what there is to say.

We are in the midst of a global pandemic. I haven’t set foot in a grocery store in over two months. I haven’t hugged a friend since March 15th. Yet these things feel insignificant in the grand scheme. There’s a lot to be grateful for. Good food, a nice home, my partner here with me. The health of my loved ones. There’s a lot to be anxious about, too, and a lot that’s out of my control. Like, practically everything. There are a lot of unknowns. I have no idea what I’ll be doing or what life will look like a year from now. It’s a great big leap off a cliff.

Annnnnnyway. Yeah. Not sure what I can say. If you are reading this you are a human who is or has experienced this crazy time. So… you get it. I can’t make sense of things or poetically capture the moment or come up with the perfect metaphor to carry us through. But, what I can do, is talk about food.

I’ve had more time on my hands for cooking lately than I have in quite a while. I was recently going through some old blog posts and got inspired to get back to it. Today I want to share with you this easy, versatile salad comprised of pantry staples and basic ingredients. Things you can easily get or already have, and plenty of ideas for substitutions. If you need more tips or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask! This dish requires a couple of pots but everything can be made ahead so don’t get overwhelmed. I know it’s like really, really easy to get overwhelmed right now. But you can do this. You can definitely, definitely do this. I will hold your hand the whole way.

But like, not literally, cuz that’s not allowed.

Take good care of yourselves and stay safe out there my friends.

green bean and potato salad

adapted from Everyday Is Saturday, by Sarah Copeland

for the dressing:

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

6 tbsp good olive oil

salt

freshly ground pepper

anchovy paste (optional)

for the salad:

4 small potatoes, red or yukon gold (or whatever potato ya got)

2 handfuls green beans (or asparagus, or broccoli)

small shallot (or green onion, or ¼ red onion)

4 hard boiled egg

½ cup fresh tender herbs (parsley, tarragon, cilantro, dill, basil, chives, whatever you have)

optional salty toppings:

1 tbsp capers with brine

¼ cup pitted green olives or pitted kalamata olives

4 anchovy fillets

1 tbsp pepperoncini with brine

¼ cup chopped pickled green beans or asparagus

1 tbsp finely chopped rind of preserved lemon

a bit of whatever salty/pickled/brined thing you have hanging out in your refrigerator

this recipe is meant as a guide that relies on pantry staples and basic ingredients. I am going to keep it pretty loose and encourage you to improvise liberally, to adapt to what you have on hand.

First, get your potatoes going. Place them in a medium pot and cover with water. Add a generous pinch of salt. Bring water to boil, reduce to simmer, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Test by sliding a knife in to a potato; if it goes in easily, the potatoes are done. When potatoes are tender, drain and set aside to cool slightly.

While potatoes are cooking, prepare the beans. Trim and cut in half or thirds, pieces no more than two inches. I like to cut mine on the diagonal to make em look all fancy. Bring a small pot of water to boil. Prepare a small mixing bowl with ice water. Add green beans to the boiling water, cook until they are bright green, about 3 minutes. They go pretty quickly so keep an eye on em! Remove beans from water, and place in the bowl of ice water. This will shock them and help them keep that beautiful bright green color. (Note: you could also steam the green beans instead if you prefer. Cook until just crisp tender)

Eggs can be hard boiled ahead of time, but if they are not, follow these steps:

Add a little vinegar to the water from the green beans and return to a boil. When water is boiling, add eggs to the pot. Set the timer for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, remove eggs and add them to the ice bath with the green beans. This will give you nice eggs with a slightly jammy yoke, which is wonderful in this salad. The potatoes, green beans, and eggs can all be prepared ahead of time. Refrigerate until you're ready to assemble the salad.

Put together the dressing. In a small mason jar (I used a half pint), add the red wine vinegar, olive oil, and a bit of anchovy paste (if using), about a half teaspoon. Add a good pinch of salt and some healthy grinds of black pepper. Seal the jar and shake shake shake until emulsified.

To assemble the salad, cut the potatoes into halves or quarters and place on a serving platter. Drizzle some of the dressing overtop. Drain the green beans and shake dry, patting with a paper towel to remove moisture. Scatter beans over the potatoes. Peel the eggs and slice in half length wise, tuck them into the beans. Drizzle generously with the dressing. You may not use it all, if there is extra serve it on the side. Now is the time to add your extras: capers and olives, or any other salty briny treats. Ideally you should use at least two for a variety of flavors. Sprinkle shallot/onion over top, along with fresh herbs. Finish with flaky salt if you have it, and maybe a final drizzle of dressing or good olive oil. Dig in and enjoy!

April Highlights. A pan of mini cinnamon rolls from Small Victories. The first time I made the green bean potato salad (recipe on this page)! Some cookbook titles that felt especially relevant to the times: Let’s Stay In, Everyday Is Saturday, and Small Victories. A big ol’ chocolate cake expressing my political views. Inspired by @protestcakes. Cake recipe from Small Victories. A portion of my cookbook rainbow! Garlic knots, also from Small Victories. Red sauce from Everyday Is Saturday. A Chocolate Chip Cookie For Modern Times, also from Everyday Is Saturday! Special K bars from Half Baked Harvest. Green beans with slivered almonds and za’atar, a riff on a favorite recipe from Near and Far.