Potatoes & Beans with Garlic & Basil

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9 February 2021 BY Julie Biuso
SERVES: 6

Basil with beans, basil with potatoes, it just works. Add garlic and pine nuts, and while not quite a pesto mix here, it has the same impact.

Ingredients

700g (1½ lb) small waxy potatoes Salt 2 Tbsp pine nuts 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil Flaky sea salt 400g (14 oz) slim beans (green, yellow, or a mixture), trimmed 1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed Freshly ground black pepper 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves

Method

1 Put potatoes in a steamer, lightly sprinkle with salt and cook until tender. Alternatively, cook in gently boiling salted water. Drain and cool. When cool enough to handle, peel (or leave unpeeled if preferred).

2 Toast pine nuts in a lightly oiled small frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat until pale golden, stirring them around with a spoon; don’t leave them unattended. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

3 Cook beans in gently boiling water for about 5 minutes, or until done to your liking. Drain, refresh with cold water and drain again. Lay beans flat on paper towels to dry.

4 Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan (skillet) over a gentle heat. Add garlic, let it soften for a minute, then add potatoes and let them heat through. Add beans and let them get hot. Season everything with flaky sea salt and black pepper and transfer to a serving bowl and let the vegetables cool (up to 1 hour is perfect).

5 Scatter with basil and pine nuts, toss once or twice, then serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

If potatoes are large, cut them in half before cooking. If freshly dug, they only need to be scrubbed before cooking, not peeled after, but if peeling them is a drag, don’t bother!