Printable Recipe: French Green Bean, Cucumber, and Red Potato Salad Recipe

French Green Bean, Cucumber, and Red Potato Salad Recipe

Not even in the same family as your traditional mayo-based potato salad, this wonderful romantic picnic recipe is perfect for a summer picnic... or to make you feel like it's summer on a chilly Valentine's day. Don't buy regular green beans for this-- you need the thin, sweet French green beans called Haricots Verts. If you can't find them, you can slice regular green beans in half lenghtwise-- but the flavor won't be quite the same. But no matter how you make it, this wonderful picnic salad is delicious, and a nice change of pace from your average potato salad recipe.

Serves 3-4. You'll want the leftovers!

Ingredients:
3/4 lb. red potatoes (the smallest you can find)
1/2 lb. thin, young French green beans (haricots verts)
1/4 lb. English cucumber, peeled and sliced
1/4 C. fresh dill, chopped
1/4 C. minced red onion
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. teaspoon sugar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions: 1. Prepare washed, cleaned potatoes by cutting the larger ones (over 1 1/2" or so in diameter -- smaller ones can stay whole) in half, then salting all potatoes lightly. Steam for about 15 minutes, until tender. Cool.

2. Trim the French green beans, then steam for about 6 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Cool.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine potatoes, green beans, cucumber, dill, and onion.

4. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, salt, sugar, mustard, and pepper to taste. Pour over potato mixture and stir gently to mix.

5. Let flavors combine for about an hour in the refrigerator. If desired, taste and adjust for seasonings, adding more oil, lemon, salt, etc., as needed.