Green Bean & Red Potato Salad with Basil-Dijon Vinaigrette

It’s been a weird week.    That’s honestly the only way I know how to describe the way  I’m feeling this week… weird.

 

It must be something with to do this wonky Georgia weather. The atmosphere over the South East has been in a total funk all week. As in, gloom & doom since Sunday. I though we were about to see some freaky Wizard of Oz tornado junk going down. By Wednesday, I just wanted to find a giant slingshot and catapult chocolate cake at the melancholy sky.

Is that a bizarre thought?    I don’t know whether to blame ideas like that on the weirdness of the week…or just my typical nonsensical thought process.    I’m so confused.

Anyway, out of nowhere, it’s all blue skies & sunshine today.  I woke up to the sounds of birds harmonizing outside the window.    …Is this like an April Fool’s Day joke?   Still confused.

 

Either way, I’m blaming my poor photo-illustration for this post on the weird weather brain funk mess I’m babbling about.

I make no sense and I have crappy photos. For that, I apologize.

Still, this is a real nice salad.    It didn’t make me feel any less weird, but it is indeed nice…fresh, flavorful and just plain nice.  It might make a really nice side dish for a spring picnic or something.             Ya know, if this pleasant weather get-up isn’t a poor-humored gag.

It’s a super simple salad to throw together and brings a lot of fantastic flavors/textures together in a dish. If you wanted to knock it to the next level, and toss in some blue cheese and walnuts…I would definitely support that.

One word to the wise, avoid over-boiling your potatoes. Not the end of the world if you do…but those stray flecks of the potatoes’ squishy outer flesh may just cause your salad to look a little bit weird.

 

Green Bean & Red Potato Salad with Basil-Dijon Vinaigrette

For the Salad:

• 1/2 pound fresh green beans– washed, trimmed, boiled until tender, but crisp
• 3-4 medium red potatoes– scrubbed, boiled, cooled
• 2 green onions– thinly sliced
• 1 cup black grapes— washed, quartered

Cut cooled potatoes into a 1-inch dice. Halve the beans if they are long.

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Toss with dressing until evenly coated. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

For the vinaigrette:

from A Love Affair with Southern Cooking, by Jean Anderson

• 1 medium garlic clove, peeled
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp freshly chopped basil leaves
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 & 1/4 cup olive oil

Place all ingredients except the olive oil into a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil and process until a uniform consistency. Shake before using.