Potato Salad with Green and White Beans

Here is a perfect example of why I do not cook, but my boyfriend, er um, my husband does. I even screwed up the potato salad.

I found the recipe through my Google Reader on the Serious Eats website called Healthy and Delicious Potato Salad with Green and White Beans. I know my cooking abilities are limited, but this one sounded easy enough that even I could make it.

I did pretty good until I took the potatoes off the stove after 10 minutes, but then I forgot about them, and after about 30 minutes they were near mush. To make it worse, I totally undercooked the green beans. Not my best attempt at cooking!

In the end, the potatoes were too soft, the beans too hard, but the flavor was actually really good. We still ate it all up. I might add a bit more fresh herbs, but next time I will ask Mark to make it!

Potato Salad with Green and White Beans

- makes at least 6 -
Adapted from Moosewood's Simple Suppers.

Ingredients

5 red potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 pound green beans
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/3 teaspoon table salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup very thinly sliced red onions
1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained

Procedure

1. Fill a large pot with water. Salt it and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Then, cut each half into 1/2-inch slices (half moons). When water is boiling, add potatoes. Cook about 10 minutes, until they're barely tender.
2. While potatoes are boiling, chop stem ends from green beans and cut each bean in half. Then, in a large serving bowl, combine oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Whisk together. Add basil and onions. Stir again.
3. After potatoes are cooked, remove them from boiling water using a slotted spoon or spider. Dump in bowl with vinaigrette. Add green beans to the hot water and cook about 4 or 5 minutes, until they're crisp-tender.
4. Drain green beans and add to bowl on top of potatoes. Pour in white beans. Mix everything thoroughly, but gently. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm (great), cold (pretty good), or at room temperature (very good). If there are leftovers, store 'em in the fridge and give 'em a good stir before re-serving.