Potato and string bean salad with fresh pistachio pesto
Delight in a flavorful medley of tender potatoes, crisp string beans, and zesty homemade pistachio pesto. This salad is a culinary masterpiece waiting to elevate your taste buds.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, loosely packed
- 1/2 heaping cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
- 1/2 cup salted roasted pistachios
- 60g 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
- 1 cup lemon or regular extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 230g string beans, ends trimmed
- 910g red bliss potatoes
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- Chopped salted roasted pistachios, for garnish
- Grated Pecorino-Romano, for garnish
Instructions:
- To make the pesto: Fill a small saucepan halfway with water and heat until it simmers. Prepare a bowl of ice water and keep it aside.
- Briefly blanch the parsley and mint in the simmering water for 2 to 3 seconds. Immediately transfer the herbs to the bowl of ice water to halt the cooking process. Once cooled, place them on paper towels to dry thoroughly.
- In the food processor, combine the pistachios, cheese, and fennel seeds. Pulse the mixture until finely ground. Add the garlic, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Process until the mixture is roughly blended, which should take about 15 seconds.
- Incorporate the olives, parsley, mint, lemon zest, and olive oil. Blend the ingredients until the mixture is almost smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Season with salt and pepper to your preference.
- For the salad: Boil 3 to 4 quarts of water over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to a simmer. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl.
- Simmer the string beans in the water until they are just tender, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to the ice bath.
- Quarter the potatoes. For any particularly small potatoes, cut them in half. Discard the water from the pot used for boiling the beans and add the potatoes. Fill the pot with fresh water until the potatoes are submerged by an inch and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Simmer until a knife can easily pierce the center of the potatoes without resistance, typically 12 to 15 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle lemon juice over the potatoes, followed by white wine vinegar, and toss gently. Add the string beans and 1 cup of pesto, or more according to your taste. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve on plates, and top with pistachios and grated Pecorino cheese.
Summary:
- Calories: 3491 kcal
- Fat: 272 g
- Protein: 63 g
- Carbs: 231 g
- Potassium: 6003 mg
- Magnesium: 470 mg