One of the things we daydreamed about as we built our vegetable garden last fall, was being able to step outside and harvest enough stuff to make a meal out of. We thought – best case scenario, we’ll be able to do that a handful of times in one season (somehow this still felt worth all the hard work for us, which some might say is an interesting topic in itself). Never in the wildest of dreams could we have imagined the quantities of food our humble number of square meters of land would produce, and – thankfully – we never stop being grateful. It feels like Christmas every day. This is a late-summer-bounty kind of salad that really celebrates the act of grabbing the basket, stepping outside and harvesting whatever looks good (and also what’s begging to be brought inside – I’m looking at you, you zeppelin sized zucchini). This recipe should be treated as a guide and an inspiration source, rather than a rule book. In order for it to be filling enough to serve as a main course, there sort of needs to a starchy ingredient though. We never turn down an option to have potatoes, but winter squash, carrots or parsnips are other great choices (when in season, that is). We like to throw in a legume for protein, and the small and unassuming white bean is our favorite. Again though, any kind would be fine. And then – just work with what you have on hand. Pole beans offer a nice crunch, tomatoes some sweetness, chard a dose of… green (and lots of nutrients). A simple, herb-laden dressing mixed in and – voilà. Dinner is served. We usually go heavier on the amount of potatoes and beans than the recipe suggests, simply because we need to pack in lots of energy in our meals. Keep that in mind when reading through the list of ingredients, if you think it seems a little thin. This truly is a celebration of the variety of produce available this time of year, and the creativity in the kitchen that it brings with it. Happy cooking 🙂
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2 big servings, 4 normal servings
1 1/2-2 lbs potatoes
10-15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium cucumber, sliced
1 lb pole beans, cut into 1 1/2” pieces
2 cups cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
4” leek (about half of one), thinly sliced
10 oz. chard (one small bunch), leaves in ribbons and stems roughly chopped
1 cup mixed fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley and tarragon, roughly chopped
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and black pepper to taste
Start by quartering your potatoes, and then tossing them in a dash of oil, salt and black pepper. Roast in the oven at 390 F, until cooked through but still firm (approx. 20-25 min). Steam or blanch the pole beans quickly, just to get rid of the raw bite (blanching approx. 2 min, steaming a little longer). Rinse in cold water, to stop the cooking. In a large bowl, mix tomatoes, cucumber, both types of beans, leek and chard. In a smaller bowl, whisk oil, lemon juice, salt (approx. 1 tsp) and a few grinds of black pepper together, and then add the herbs. Stir together. Add the potatoes to the salad once cooled off just a bit (we want to prevent the chard from wilting), and then toss everything with the herb dressing. Serve immediately.