Potato salad with green beans and toasted buckwheat
This potato salad with crunchy green beans, nutty toasted buckwheat, soft eggs, and bursts of fresh dill is hearty but fresh, earthy but bright – a salad that’s happy to play wingman to glazed ham, sizzling steaks, roast pork, or even a whole baked snapper. Toasted buckwheat brings the crunch, while a mustard dressing makes every bite addictive – this is a spud salad with serious swagger. It takes cues from Bavaria where mustard leans sweet, not sharp, and is served slathered on weißwurst, pretzels, roasts, and even with cheeseboards. Bavarian Hausmachersenf (literally ‘homemade mustard’) gets sweetness from sugar or honey, which is why we suggest adding honey to the dressing if you can’t get the real Bavarian deal. In which case use a mild mustard like Dijon and sweeten your dressing taste – no rules, just good eating.
SERVES 6
800g baby red-skinned potatoes, halved
400g green beans, trimmed
60g (⅓ cup) buckwheat
6 eggs, soft-boiled and peeled
Handful flat-leaf parsley leaves and dill fronds, to garnish
Sweet mustard dressing
1 egg yolk
80ml (⅓ cup) red wine vinegar
3 tbsp sweet Bavarian, or other mild mustard
2 ½ tbsp honey, if needed
200ml olive oil
1 bunch dill, fronds removed, chopped
Cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water for 15 minutes or until just tender. Drain, then leave to cool in a colander.
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil for the beans, and fill a large bowl with iced water. Cook the beans for 3–4 minutes or until tender, then drain well. Transfer to the iced water to cool, then drain the beans well again. Pat dry using paper towel, then set aside.
Heat a small, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat, add the buckwheat, then toast, shaking the pan occasionally, for 6–7 minutes or until the grains are deep golden and crunchy. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
For the dressing, combine the egg yolk, vinegar, mustard, and honey, if you’re using it, in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Whisking constantly, drizzle in the oil and whisk until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the dill.
Slice the potatoes, then add them to the dressing with the beans. Toss to combine, then transfer to a serving plate or platter. Halve the eggs lengthwise and arrange over the salad. Scatter over the buckwheat, parsley, and dill, then serve.
