Green Goddess Potato Salad

This green goddess potato salad is a fave of mine & reminds me of what my dad & grandmother used to make! It gets a kick from pickled shallot, crunchy vegetables, and herbaceous, creamy dressing. The dressing makes it beyond good & slathered over potatoes, green veggies etc.... it's NEXT level!

GREEN GODDESS POTATO SALAD

INGREDIENTS

SALAD:

• 2 pounds small yellow potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 – 1 ½-inch chunks

• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea or kosher salt

• 8 ounces green beans, trimmed, cut crosswise into halves or thirds

• 6 large eggs (preferably a week or two old for easier peeling)

• 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber (preferably a middle-eastern variety)

• 1/2 of a medium fennel bulb, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

• ¼ cup snipped chives

• black pepper

SALAD DRESSING:

• 1 clove Garlic – smashed & peeled

• 1 whole Scallion – roughly chopped

• 1 medium-sized ripe Avocado

• 1 small Lemon – juiced, about 1 ½ tablespoons 

• 1/3 Cup Fresh Herbs – packed & chopped 

• ¼ Cup coconut Yogurt (or greek yogurt, Sour Cream, Mayonnaise, Tahini)

• 2 TBS EACH: Extra-Virgin Olive Oil & Rice Vinegar (or ACV)

• 1 TBS Honey

• 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper 

• Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper to taste 

Optional: Cold Water – as needed to thin dressing

Notes:

• Lemon Juice: If you don’t like a tart dressing, decrease the lemon juice to 1 tablespoon. You can always add more when you adjust the dressing to taste in step three.

• Herbs: You can use any FRESH herbs you like! Parsley, basil, chives, tarragon, cilantro and/or dill are all delicious! You don’t need to go all out and purchase them all. I recommend using at least 3!

INSTRUCTIONS

SALAD PREP:

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Add the 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt & place over high heat. Bring to a boil then cook until the potatoes are tender but still hold shape, around 8-12 min. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the potatoes out of the water & drain, reserving the water. Let the potatoes cool completely. 

2. Add the green beans to the boiling water and simmer until bright green and crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Drain the green beans (you can save the cooking liquid to use as vegetable stock if you like) and rinse them with cool water to stop the cooking (or put in an ice water bath).

3. Place the eggs in the now-empty saucepan and cover with an inch or two of cool water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 5-6 minutes (5 if you like a softer yolk, 6 if you want the yolk a bit more firm but still custardy, as pictured here). Drain the eggs and add ice and cool water to the pot to stop the cooking. Let stand 10 minutes, then peel and rinse the eggs and cut into halves or quarters. The whites should be firm and the yolks should be slightly soft and custardy.

DRESSING:

1. Chop: In the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender, add the garlic and scallion. Pulse until finely chopped.

2. Puree: Add the avocado, lemon juice, herbs, yogurt, oil, vinegar, honey and cayenne. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Puree until very smooth and pale green in color. With the motor running, drizzle in water, a little bit at a time, until dressing reaches desired consistency.

3. Adjust to taste with more salt, pepper, lemon, honey or cayenne if desired.

4. Serve immediately and enjoy!

5. Storage: Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:

1. Place the cooled potatoes in a large bowl. Add the green beans, cucumber, fennel, 1/2 cup of the dressing, and a good grind of black pepper. Toss together gently to combine, then drain the pickled shallots (you can reserve the vinegar to use in other dressings) and toss them into the salad along with the chives, and more dressing if you like. Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon or salt if you like. Toss the eggs into the salad or place them atop the salad when you serve it up.

2. Serve the salad right away, or chill for up to a day or two to meld the flavors. The salad looks prettiest freshly made when the dressing is bright green, but the flavor improves after a bit of time in the fridge.

Bon Appetit!

Photography by Patricia Brochu