When it comes to party and picnic staples like potato salad, tuna salad, and slaw, I’ll take a good vinaigrette over a mayo-based dressing every time. Vinaigrette is lighter on the palate and the stomach, and as opposed to simply coating the exterior of the salad components, it soaks in sort of like a marinade to infuse everything with deeper flavor. Such is the case with this fantastic Provençal Potato & Green Bean Salad, in which everything is tossed with the dressing while the boiled potatoes are still warm to ensure that their starchy, fluffy interiors drink up all that savory goodness.
Potato and green bean is a pretty classic combination found in various iterations around the globe; this rendition was inspired by salade Niçoise, and the result is an addictively delicious Mediterranean-influenced dish. It’s loaded with layers of umami thanks to staples like olives, capers, and Dijon mustard, and I’ve added strips of sweet roasted pepper to balance it out. (Don’t like peppers? Try substituting a handful of quartered ripe cherry tomatoes.) Traditionally you would use anchovy in a dish like this, but for a vegan twist I’ve substituted umeboshi paste which provides a similar punch of briny flavor. Minced shallot gives the vinaigrette a bit of bite, and a dried blend of herbes de Provence brings it all together.
This recipe is straightforward so I’ll spare you a detailed walk-through. Take note that if you’re using your own freshly roasted bell pepper instead of jarred, you’ll want to have that ready to go. Also, be sure to toss the salad with the vinaigrette while the potatoes are still warm. You can serve this Provençal Potato & Green Bean Salad right away, or make it ahead of time to allow the flavors to meld. It will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, but I recommend bringing it back down to room temperature before serving. Enjoy!
- Green Beans:
- Water
- Ice
- ½ lb green beans (preferably thin haricots), trimmed
- Kosher salt
- Potatoes:
- 1 lb small waxy potatoes (like fingerling) of relatively equal size
- 1 large clove garlic, crushed but intact
- 1 large bay leaf
- 8-10 whole peppercorns
- 2-3 sprigs thyme
- 1 large sprig rosemary
- Water
- Kosher salt
- Dressing:
- 7g (1 ½ tsp) umeboshi paste¹
- 10g (2 tsp) Dijon mustard
- 30ml (2 Tbsp) red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp minced shallot
- ¾ tsp dried herbes de Provence
- 45ml (3 Tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp kosher salt (or more to taste)
- 2-3 grinds black pepper
- Salad:
- 1 large bell pepper, roasted, peeled, & sliced into strips²
- 8g (2 heaping tsp) drained capers
- 45g (¼ cup) mixed black & green olives, quartered
- 3 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
- Blanch the green beans: Fill a bowl with ice water and set aside. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and simmer for 2 minutes, or until bright green and crisp-tender. Transfer green beans to ice water to stop the cooking process. Once cool, drain well, cut into bite-size pieces, and place in a large bowl.
- Cook the potatoes: Rinse the saucepan with cool water. Add potatoes, crushed garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme, rosemary, and enough cold water to cover potatoes by 1 inch. Season generously with kosher salt (about 1 Tbsp). Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook just until potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes. Drain potatoes (discard seasonings), cut in half, and add to bowl with green beans.
- While potatoes are cooking, make vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together umeboshi paste, mustard, vinegar, pepper, shallot, and herbes de Provence. Whisk in olive oil to emulsify, add ¼ teaspoon salt and 2 grinds black pepper, and taste. Add more salt and/or pepper if desired.
- Assemble salad: Add remaining salad ingredients; toss with vinaigrette. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 3 days). If refrigerating, bring salad back up to room temperature before serving.
²If you don't want to bother roasting your own peppers, substitute jarred ones. If you don't like roasted peppers, try a handful of quartered cherry tomatoes instead!
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