Potato and String Bean Salad with Fresh Pistachio Pesto
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 6 servings
- Calories
- 582
- Total Fat
- 45
- Saturated Fat
- 8
- Carbohydrates
- 38
- Dietary Fiber
- 8
- Sugar
- 4
- Protein
- 10
- Cholesterol
- 11
- Sodium
- 734
- Total: 1 hr
- Active: 35 min
Ingredients
Pesto:
1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, loosely packed
1/2 heaping cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
1/2 cup salted roasted pistachios
2 1/4 ounces Pecorino-Romano, cut into rough 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted
1 large clove garlic
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives
Zest of 1 lemon (reserve the juice for the salad)
1 cup lemon or regular extra-virgin olive oil
Salad:
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
8 ounces string beans, ends trimmed
2 pounds red bliss potatoes
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
Chopped salted roasted pistachios, for garnish
Grated Pecorino-Romano, for garnish
Directions
- For the pesto: Fill a small pot halfway with water and bring to a simmer. Fill a small bowl with ice water and set aside.
- Blanch the parsley and mint in the water for 2 to 3 seconds. Immediately, transfer the herbs to the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. After the herbs have cooled, set them on paper towels to dry as much as possible.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the pistachios, cheese and fennel seeds and pulse until finely ground. Add the garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper. Process until the mixture is roughly combined, about 15 seconds.
- Add the olives, parsley, mint, lemon zest and olive oil. Process the mixture until it is almost smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- For the salad: Bring 3 to 4 quarts water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Add 1 tablespoon salt to the water. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl.
- Simmer the string beans in the water until they are just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice bath.
- Cut the potatoes into quarters. (If any are particularly small, cut them in half.) Pour out the water from the same pot and add the potatoes. Fill with fresh water until the potatoes are covered by an inch and add 1 tablespoon salt. Simmer until a knife can be inserted in the center of the potatoes with no resistance, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and add to a large bowl. Pour the lemon juice over the potatoes, followed by the white wine vinegar, and toss very gently. Add the string beans and 1 cup pesto, or more to your liking. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
- Plate, and garnish with the pistachios and grated Pecorino.