Warm Potato and Green Bean Salad

I'm always looking for new ways to make potato salad more interesting (but not too fancy), so I whipped up a parsley pesto-like sauce and drizzled it over some tender potatoes and crisp green beans.  Not only is this pretty but it is healthy and delicious too!

Ingredients:

1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed

3/4 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed

2 cups flat leaf parsley leaves, packed

2 small garlic cloves, smashed and finely chopped with a pinch of salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Sea salt and pepper

Instructions: 

1. Place potatoes and a pinch of sea salt in a large saucepan and cover with enough cold water to cover by an inch.  

2.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-high, and cook for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender (but not too soft.)  Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander.  Do not turn off or dump the water in the saucepan.  Remove the potatoes from the colander and add to a large serving bowl.

3.  Add the green beans to the boiling water, cover, and cook for only 4 to 5 minutes.  Drain the beans in the colander, then scatter around and on the potatoes in the bowl.

4.  Make the pesto: In a food processor pulse together the parsley, garlic and lemon zest.  Slowly drizzle in the oil and pulse a few more times until smooth.  (You may add salt to taste depending on how closely you are watching your sodium intake.

5.  Drizzle the sauce over the warm potatoes and green beans and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.  This is also delicious at room temperature and cold.