Red Potato Salad with Green Beans and Basil

I am in my new place in Arlington, Texas and we have most of the boxes emptied and the house is starting to look less like a UPS package holdin g facility. Things are busy and most of my days run into the next because I have been staying up too late getting things done. So, here is another recipe revisit. This is the first recipe I posted here and still my favorite potato salad to date. This was one of the last meals I made before I packed up the kitchen in Baltimore and I am looking forward to making it again. If you can find them, flat Italian green beans really make this salad for me. They have great flavor and look good too. And don't skimp on the fresh basil, dried just won't be the same. If you wanted to mix this up I recommend swapping out the basil for fresh thyme, tarragon or dill.

Red Potato Salad with Green Beans and Basil
I prefer my potatoes roasted- they don't get mushy and the flavor and presentation is even better. Although, I have a confession. Not only do I use meat sparingly, I stretch it. I have good southern ties, so I save bacon fat and there is nothing better than red potatoes roasted in bacon drippings. So you can, but olive oil also works great.

3 lbs. red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 inch dice
1 lb. green beans, cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths
2 handfuls of basil (about a half a bunch), cut in a chifonade
1 bunch of green onions, sliced (use the greens and the whites)
1/2 cup olive oil
4 T. white or red wine vinegar
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper or grains of paradise
3/4 t. dijon mustard
For the salad:
Boil the potatoes until tender 5-7 minutes. Add green beans in the last minute of cooking so the are crisp tender. Alternatively you can roast the potatoes in the oven a 450* for about 20 minutes and add the green beans the last 4 minutes or steam them separately.
While those are cooking whisk together the dressing. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Toss this with the vegetables while they are still hot to absorb as much of the dressing as possible. Add the onions and basil and adjust the seasonings if needed.

This salad can be served immediately or chilled for later.