So, you ask, what did you do with the rest of those green beans you bought at Market last Saturday?  (Well, no, you didn’t ask really, but it’s easier to keep blogging if I pretend that someone is out there reading this.) 

I’ll tell you anyway. I had some new potatoes left over from the market the week before and beans and potatoes came together in a gorgeous and delicious salad.

First I took some not-too-tasty grape tomatoes I had bought at Marsh, grown heaven-knows-where (but not here), and cut them in half. I combined some fruity Provencal oil from Les Baux, and some chopped basil, garlic, scallions, and sweet onion. Salt and pepper. I added the tomatoes and let them sit in the dressing to soak up some flavor while I cooked the other vegetables. They actually tasted great by the time they were done (although not like ripe tomatoes.)

I boiled the potatoes until they were just tender, and tossed them with a sweet white chardonnay vinegar that I love, and some salt and pepper. Steamed the green beans until they were just past crisp, and dressed them in vinegar and oil whisked together (same vinegar, same oil.)

Tossed the whole thing together, adjusted the seasonings. We ate it for the next three days. It stayed good all the while, but I refreshed it with some additional vinaigrette and salt and pepper before I served it each time since it had a tendency to absorb the dressing and taste dry.

Why the finicking process of dressing each part of the salad separately? The tomatoes needed to gather some flavor before being allowed into the bowl with my fresh, locally grown ingredients; warm potatoes are like sponges and if you let them soak up some vinaigrette or white wine before you put them in your salad, they carry an extra little layer of deliciousness; and the beans, well, I just didn’t want them to feel left out. Judging by the final result, I think they were happy. I know we were.

Glad you asked?