Thursday, April 2, 2015

WARM POTATO, GREEN BEAN AND RED ONION SALAD

Bet you couldn't wait for another recipe from Carol.  It's here and a winner for sure!

Many, many thanks girlfriend.

           Warm Potato, Green Bean and Red Onion Salad


When I was growing up, potato salad wasn't always a dish made with potatoes, hard boiled eggs and onions dressed with mayonnaise.  My Nana made what my Mom always called "Italian Potato Salad" with fresh picked green beans from my Dad's garden, cubed cooked potatoes, some diced onion and fresh flat leaf parsley that she grew right beside the back porch door. She tossed the vegetables and parsley with olive oil and vinegar, then seasoned with salt and pepper.  No measuring, nothing fancy, but I'll tell you what, I could have sat at the supper table with a dish of that and nothing else and been a very happy girl...in fact I may have done just that a few times back in the day.    

I still make Nana's version-Bob and I really enjoy it, especially when our fresh picked green beans and parsley are included in the mix.  However, I also love making a batch in the dead of winter when I want to think warm weather and sunshine.  

I found this recipe on Ree Drummond's website,Tasty Kitchen. What a nice "twist" on the usual potato and string bean salad I make. I decided to give it a try.

Rather than use baby red potatoes, I use regular red potatoes.  Our grocery store just started carrying the baby red potatoes, but they're a bit pricey and the regular ones work just fine. Nancy wasn't specific as to how much the potatoes she used weighed. I "guesstimated" what would work and came up with 1 1/2 pounds. Feel free to use whatever potatoes you have on hand...russet, white, Yukon gold....any would work.

I use a different method to cook the green beans and potatoes. Nancy uses the microwave-I prefer to boil the potatoes like I do when I make potato salad. I cover the whole potatoes with cold water, bring them to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer and cook them until they're tender. The time to cook them depends on how big they are-I start testing them with a cake tester at the 10 minute mark, and remove them to a dinner plate as each one tests done. The green beans are steamed just until they're tender.

I let both sit at room temperature-just long enough until I can handle the potatoes without burning myself-and make the dressing while they cool.

Nancy's dressing is a pretty straight forward mustard vinaigrette.  She uses Dijon mustard......which is very good, but I like dressing to have more zip. Out came the jalapeno mustard...I add it to the vinegar, then whisk in the oil, and taste.  I usually add a little sugar to vinaigrette to cut that sharp vinegar taste, which is what I do with this.  I  also added a little salt, some garlic powder and onion powder for more flavor along with a smidgen of black pepper. Whisk, taste again...PERFECT!  Your taste buds will always tell you when it's just right.

Once the potatoes can be handled, I cube them and toss them with half of the dressing. Those warm potatoes soak in all that homemade vinaigrette goodness.  Once the warm potatoes are coated with dressing, I stir in the green beans, onion and parsley, then the rest of the dressing gets poured over all and I stir until everything is well combined and coated evenly.  I leave the bowl sit covered on the counter at room temperature until we're ready to eat.

What a wonderful salad this is. That mustard vinaigrette adds such a nice flavor to the potatoes and fresh green beans. I LOVE the jalapeno mustard in the dressing, but any mustard would work in this.  Spicy brown mustard would be great too-whatever is your favorite mustard, use it! With all the different flavors of mustard on the market, a new-and different-flavor vinaigrette can be made in no time at all and would change the flavor of this salad lickety-split. 

This is also perfect to make if you have leftover cooked potatoes and green beans in the refrigerator that you need to use up.  I've done that a lot.  I heat the potatoes and beans in the microwave to take the chill off of them, then follow the recipe directions-easy!

What I love most about this salad is its versatility-not only is it delicious at room temperature, it's just as good chilled.  We enjoy it both ways.  Here's another plus-it's a perfect dish to take to a barbecue in the warm weather-it can sit out with no problem because it doesn't contain mayonnaise.   

If you're tired of the same old potato salad at your house, I hope you'll give this one a try.  Thank you, Nancy, for sharing this wonderful recipe.


Carol



WARM POTATO, GREEN BEAN AND RED ONION SALAD
(Source: adapted From Nancy's Garden blog-original found HERE and HERE)

1 1/2 lb. red potatoes, either baby potatoes or regular red potatoes
8 oz. fresh green beans
1/4 c. finely chopped red onion
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

VINAIGRETTE:
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. jalapeno mustard (or your favorite mustard)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2-3/4 tsp. granulated sugar, optional
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

Place the whole potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, uncovered, until potatoes are fork-tender.  The cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes. I had small-medium red potatoes so what I did is I started checking them at the 10 minute mark and removed them individually as they tested done.  

Place the cooked potatoes on a plate and let cool just until you can handle them.

Snip the ends off of the fresh green beans and cook, using whatever method you prefer (I always steam them) until just tender.  Let cool slightly then cut into serving size pieces.

For the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper.  Slowly add the olive oil, whisking constantly, until the dressing is well mixed. Taste and adjust seasonings to suit your taste.

Cut the warm potatoes into cubes and place them in a large bowl. Toss the warm potatoes with half of the dressing.

Add the green beans, onions, parsley and  the remaining dressing to the potatoes.  Toss gently until combined.  

Serve the salad warm or at room temperature. Serves 4-6 

Featured on MizHelenscountrycottage April 11th-2015

28 comments:


  1. OMG.......when I saw this recipe, I knew this was going to be one I would make. So nice to see Carol on here again, and my mouth was watering when I read your post and then the recipe. As you have learned about me, I am a very picky eater. This recipe however, has all the ingredients of all the veggies I love and I can't wait to try it. Thank you Carol, I am going to buy some potatoes and make this very soon. I have some dijon mustard in my fridge that is very spicy and to my taste, so this is what I will use. I am tasting this now....so I must go find something to eat until I make this. Thanks again Carol, and Linda for having her on here again.

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    1. Thanks Myra-this is a good one for sure-and SO versatile-eat it warm, room temperature or cold....and the longer it sits, the better it tastes. I hope you enjoy it! :)

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    2. I am sure I will love it. Going to put the potatoes on my shopping list. Whenever I made potato salad, which isn't for a long time, I would love eating the potatoes after I put the dressing on. I used to put italian dressing on the potatoes before putting on the mayo. I am not a big fan of mayo these days, so I just know I will love this salad. Yummy yum.

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    3. I hear you on the mayo thing, Myra.....I still do like a LITTLE of the mayo taste in salads and such so what I do now is use a combination of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt.....that really works well for me.

      My Godmother always used Italian dressing on warm potatoes before she finished up her potato salad and everyone raved over it. She called it her "secret ingredient". :)

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  2. Yum! I love mayo-free potato salads, especially in the summertime. I think I need to grow green beans again this summer - so fun to have the kids help me pick our veggies fresh for dinner!

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    1. I do too Renee-no worries leaving this sit at a summer party. Aren't green beans fresh picked from the garden THE BEST? You can't beat anything grown in your own garden-and the kiddos have fun helping out too.

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  3. This looks so good and one I will try.

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  4. Oh yeah baby. I think i'll make this Saturday. I just picked up some baby reds. Randall loves potatoes and beans and so do I. Thanks Carol and Linda! off to the kitchen to make something for tomorrow. Chocolate Mousse I think!

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    1. I'm sure this is a rerun for you Cyndy....it's a good one though. Sounds like you're busy in the kitchen again....

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    2. just started making stuff again. Now I just need to start photographing it

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  5. This looks like a great spring dish!! Thanks for sharing this post with Friday Favorites, we love having you :)

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    1. Thanks-I hope you enjoy it if you give it a try. It's become a favorite here for sure.

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  6. OH YUM!! Red Potatoes and Green Beans will get me every time but JALAPENO MUSTARD TOO?? Yes please!! I am pinning this and can't wait to try it ~ three cheers for Carol. ;) And a big thank you for sharing this recipe with the Home Matters Party. I hope you will join us again next Friday!

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    1. Ohhhhhh yeah-that jalapeno mustard gives this a nice zing. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for the 3 cheers! :)

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  7. THese look really good and I like the dressing ingredients!

    Thanks for sharing on Friday Features so I could Pin this week.

    Happy Easter!!
    Karren

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    1. I hope you and yours had a wonderful Easter, Karren. The dressing really is the star of the salad...it adds so much flavor to those potatoes and green beans. ....plus the longer it sits in the refrigerator, the better it tastes.

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  8. Wow! Love this idea! I'm thinking this warm potato, green bean and red onion salad needs to make it to a picnic or two at my house this summer!. I love the no mayo dressing and the colorful pop of color the potato and beans provide. Nice story too:)
    Thanks for linking this post up at #PureBlogLove link Party. It's so nice to meet you and your lovely blog. Hope to see you next week as well! pinned!

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    1. This salad is perfect for picnics.....the no mayonnaise makes it so easy to tote and not worry about leaving sit out. I'm looking forward to summer and warm weather....it's been a LONG winter here in New England. :)

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  9. Yummy! Looks so good. I love potato salad but am a little tired of the usual, so I think I will try this next time. Thanks so much for sharing.
    I pinned it to my Salads and Sides board so I can find it later.

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    1. This is a good one Miranda-and I'm with you. Regular potato salad is good but it's nice to have something different every now and then. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we do. :)

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  10. What a great potato salad, we will just love this one! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a wonderful week.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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    1. Thanks so much Miz Helen-and thank you for the feature on Full Plate Thursday! :)

      Have a super day,

      Carol

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  11. I am always looking for different side dishes. This sounds super yummy! Thanks for sharing the recipe with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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    1. This is a great side-simple but really tasty. I hope you and your family enjoy it.

      Carol

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  12. Congratulations!
    Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you have a great weekend and enjoy your new Red Plate!
    Miz Helen

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  13. I like potatos...I can eat poatatos every day lol...thanks for sharing this recipe! Sinziana from Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party!

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  14. What a delicious looking dish! It has a lot of my favorite things in it, so I just know I am going to love it!

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