Potato and Green Bean Salad with Loads of Herbs
There are lots of days when I think, "My life is a piece of cake." Then there are others when I stand outside myself and observe, and I think, "!#$%*. I'm exhausted." Today was one of those. One of my biggest pet peeves is when we use the phrase, "I'm so busy!" as some kind of currency that validates our importance, even our very existence. So I'm not into that. All the things I'm doing I have chosen. BUT (you knew this was coming), sometimes I wonder at the extraordinary amount of presence, energy, and coordinating prowess it takes just to live one day in the year 2010. Congratulations. You and I are still here at the end of another day.
And my garden is still growing. I've been a little mum about it this year, but my sweet little plot is thriving. Kale, two kinds of arugula, radishes, spinach, hot peppers, tomatoes, carrots, bush beans, romaine, herbs. My relationship to it has grown healthier over the 4 years I've had it. It used to be that when something got neglected or overgrown, I would either ignore my whole garden for the rest of the summer or rip the imperfect object out. (Lord! Someone take that girl aside and talk to her!) Now, I'm discovering that five minutes of weeding or pruning goes a long way. I don't need to devote tons of discrete time to it. I just need to notice and engage periodically. Tons of lessons and metaphors in there.
Today, I looked closer at my beans and saw the overnight bounty. Since the beans are exactly similar in color to the bush, I've found I can miss the moment. Really, what is better than reaching down, finding that long, soft pod, and pinching it off?
This (or some version of it) is my go-to salad for summer potluck and BBQ's. (I said that about this salad, too. I'm allowed to have two.) The potatoes make it hearty and gluten-free, the green beans make it crunchy and beautiful, and the olive oil dressing satisfies the mayo-haters of the world. (God bless 'em, I just can't relate.)
Wherever you are tonight, I hope something in your life is growing--your garden, your children, your sense of purpose or the amount of time you spend focusing on beans instead of weeds.
Potato and Green Bean Salad with Loads of Herbs
Serves six as a side dish. There are lots of other things you can add to this salad--toasted walnuts or pecans, feta, chevre, thinly sliced red onions. VERY IMPORTANT: Don't toss salad with the dressing until right before serving, as the beans will react with the lemon juice and turn brown if they sit too long (like more than a couple hours).
2 lbs. small, tender potatoes (I used some darling little Yukon Golds from the market)
1 lb. green beans, trimmed
2 large garlic clove, minced
zest and juice of one large lemon
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Couple handfuls of fresh herbs--I used oregano, lemon thyme, and mint
Wash and boil potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool.
Blanche green beans until just tender--1 minute if they're very thin, 3 minutes if they're beefier. Immediately drain in a colander and run cold water over them so they stop cooking. Don't space out here. Mushy green beans will wreck this salad.
To make dressing, combine garlic, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper. Whisk olive oil in a stream until emulsified. Dump half your fresh herbs in and whisk a bit more.
Right before serving, combine potatoes, beans, and dressing, tossing gently with your hands. Scatter remaining herbs over the top and serve at room temperature.
July 31, 2010
Reader Comments (14)
Heck, yeah, this combo rocks. And the parm slaw? Ate it twice already. Sooooo good. I'll be mulling over that gardening wisdom for quite a while...
so you know when you frequent a food blog and there are those shining, gem like moments when a recipe is EXACTLY PERFECT? Well, Ms. Sarah--tonight is what you've done for me. I have a bag of green beans that are on the verge that need something and I have simply been uninspired this summer in the culinary world. But, I just bought beautiful Yukons from Joe's yesterday and you bring this recipe before me. I love you for it:)
P.S. I love Loretta's cheeks:)
Your salad sounds great. I love that you called your potatoes "darling." : ) You are definitely a foodie. I was just talking to my husband about that because he teases me for saying how pretty or beautiful foods or batters or whatever are. Happy to see you do too!
Love the observation you had at the beginning about the "I'm so busy!" crowd. I was just reading a bit of Women Food and God at the bookstore, and one of her theses about women is that we start this war with our bodies (losing those last 10-15 pounds, looking perfect) because it gives us something that we can talk to others about, and it will never be completed, so we will always have that community of complainers-- but how fun is that?? Much more fun to let go and be happy about things with that community, and also be sad about things with that community, when you need to. Your blog is a lovely example of honesty in that vein, Sarah, and it's so great! It's my favorite blog- the one I look most forward to being bolded with a new post when I open Google Reader. :-) (and sorry about the length of this comment...)
Love that little naked body and this salad looks yummy.
I think it would be a good thing to start a pledge promising to swear off the "I'm so busy" phase. It is usually clouded in the air of self importance which is a big turnover. Competitive busy-ness - yuck!
I think in Chinese or Japanese the characters that make up busy are self + perishing. I heard that from someone and I hope it's true. Even if that statement isn't true the reality of it is.
Wish I lived closer to your garden.
That grin will melt the coldest heart------YEAAAAAA, Loretta!
The parmesan slaw has already impressed our whole family, and now you've added another winner! Thank you!
ditto on the parm slaw. I think I made it 4x last week...we LOVE it. And Loretta's sweet face - can't get much cuter. :)
The picture of your daughter is the epitome of summer - love it and this salad!
I love your view on the "I'm busy" crowd, very well said. And the salad looks divine. Good words, good food; great post!
This makes me long for a vegetable garden. I have herbs galore but no veggies. I just don't have the patience at this point to take on something I am not good at - if you know what I mean. This salad is what makes summer so wonderful in the Pac NW. Perfect produce prepared simply.
I haven't left a comment on any of your posts, but this is one that I just can't ignore! I have found myself (often) plagued by the "I'm so busy" syndrome these days...even though I am currently unemployed, I am my mother's daughter 100% in that I just seem to "find" things to keep me busy. At times, I love the tumbled chaos of my life...kids, husband, house projects, animals... but there are times when just being by myself with nothing tugging me in any direction is all I want. Your words struck a chord in me today. Thank you.
As for this salad, OMGoodness!! I wish I had taken a peak at this on Saturday before I burnt my potatoes on the BBQ and drowned my green beans in balsamic vinegar! Green beans are a staple in my house, as are potatoes, and this salad is about to become a new hosue favorite! I am so excited to make this over the weekend! (My anniversary is next Monday... perhaps a picnic is in order, complete with this salad!)
Again, thank you Sarah! You are inspiring to me! :)
This is very close to (one of) my staple potluck salad(s), too! I do an olive oil & red wine vinegar dressing and lots of fresh basil. Also, I add a can of white beans - this makes it work as a stand-alone meal. It's also great with some nice tuna (canned albacore is fine) - like a simplified salad nicoise. It's a great heat wave dish, as you can make it early in the day & it doesn't require turning on the oven.
I always remember the wonderful (and my first) salad nicisoise (or however you spell it) you made for me many years ago when I went home with you to Bellingham. You and your mom always amazed me with the delicious creations you just whipped up!!!! The salad looks similar and very yummy!
delicious -added white beans and red onion with optional kalamata olives and feta to make a one dish for hungry sons after football practice. Thanks