There’s nothing better on a hot day than some nice fresh produce to cool you from the inside. Ok, maybe it defeats the purpose if half of those veggies are warm. But I can’t help but think that this simple salad that I threw together for dinner one spring evening is the perfect summer food, reminiscent of potato salad, fresh green beans, and the light, citrusy tastes always associated with the sun. So here you have it, my first actual picture post, and the first time I’ve ever written a recipe, really. If I’m going to start writing recipes, I might as well start with something easy like a salad, right?
Roasted Potato and French Bean Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
All measurements are approximations, substitutions are welcome 
Serves 2
Ingredients:
Fingerling potatoes, about 1 pound
1 cup of French Beans or Green Beans, steamed lightly
3 tablespoons capers
1 bag of mixed greens (Chicory, mache, etc…or just lettuce)
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to drizzle
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
a pinch of cayenne pepper
Preheat the oven as high as it will go. Wash and slice the potatoes in half lengthwise, toss them in olive oil and lay them face up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with a little cayenne-LIGHTLY! Bake until crispy and brown, probably around 25 minutes but it depends on your oven. I had to really estimate the temperature since I was working with an oven that had degrees centigrade, which I don’t understand. Make the vinaigrette- whisk together the olive oil and mustard to form an emulsion, then drizzle in the lemon juice while still whisking. Add salt and pepper to taste. Assembly is easy, you can either toss everything together or create an arranged salad like I did, and drizzle the dressing over the top. If you want an arranged salad, lay as much lettuce as you want on a plate, arrange green beans over the top, and then half of the potatoes per salad. Add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of capers per salad, then drizzle the dressing over the top. Done!
It’s slightly reminiscent of a Nicoise salad, except veganized and modernized. This would certainly be nice with some tomatoes and some salty black olives. I tend to throw salads together based on what I have on-hand, and I never follow recipes, so if I ever make this again it will probably change. Perhaps I’ll make this one again sometime, with some grilled tofu in place of the tuna that’s on a real Nicoise salad.
