This is a great dinner for when you feeling like being healthy… but not that healthy, ya feel? This is my riff on the classic green bean and potato salad with a few key adjustments: crispy potatoes over boiled, anchovy vinaigrette, and potatoes roasted in BACON FAT… cause why not? Here I combine two techniques for getting the perfect crispy on the outside, super soft on the inside, roast potatoes: Bon Appetit’s technique for steaming the potatoes directly in the pan first, and Serious Eats’ method for lightly smashing the potatoes before the second roast.
Serves 2
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 10 oz yukon gold potatoes
- 3 slices of bacon
- 8 oz haricot verts (french beans), trimmed
- 1 tsp capers, or more to taste
- 1 tbs chopped dill
- 1 tbs chopped chives
- 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut into bite size slices
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the dressing:
- 2 anchovies filets
- 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
- 1 tbs sherry vinegar
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- Lots of salt and black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425.
- Slice your potatoes in half and lay them out on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour about 1 – 1.5 cups of water over the potatoes and cover the entire sheet with tin foil. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.
2. While the potatoes cook, make the dressing. Smash or chop the anchovies into a paste. Combine with the other dressing ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
3. Put the three pieces of bacon in a cold pan and turn the heat to medium. Cook until brown and crispy on both sides. Set the bacon on a paper towel, and do not throw away your bacon grease! When your bacon cools, chop into bite size pieces.
4. When your potatoes are ready, take them out of the oven. Let cool for a minute or two, then open one corner of the tin foil and carefully pour the water out of the pan. Increase the heat to 450.
5. Place the potatoes in a mixing boil and add your reserved bacon grease, salt, and pepper. Use a spoon to mix up the potatoes, beat them up a little while still keeping the potatoes whole. You want a layer of potato “mush” to develop on the outside of each potato, but you don’t want to mash the potatoes.
6. Return the potatoes, cut side down, to the baking sheet (make sure it’s dry). Roast at 450 for another 20-30 minutes, until deeply browned and crispy.
7. While the potatoes cook, bring a pot of very salty water (think seawater), to a boil. Fill a bowl large enough to fit your beans with ice water. Blanch your beans for 1 minute in the boiling water, until they turn bright green. Drain and immediately shock them in the ice water.
8. When your potatoes are ready, let them cool for a few minutes.
9. In a large mixing bowl, add the green beans (drained), capers, enough dressing to coat, and the herbs. Toss to combine.
10. Add the potatoes, bacon, and eggs to the bowl and stir gently to combine. Taste and add more dressing if desired, or more salt and pepper.
Serve and enjoy!