Potato salad with tarragon and feta

A lighter take on potato salad

Jersey royals are in season at the moment and this versatile salad is a lovely way to enjoy them. It's great for a barbecue or as part of a buffet - and equally delicious hot or cold - but also makes a simple tasty midweek dinner. We ate it with some ham and a few green leaves on the side wouldn't go amiss either. I'm not a massive fan of the sort of potato salad that comes laden with mayo, but here the potatoes are tossed with a mustardy vinaigrette - be sure to dress them while they're still warm so they soak up the flavour.



Serves 6-8 as a side dish

Ingredients ⠀

1kg jersey royal (or other salad) potatoes⠀
300g French beans (or runner beans, slice thinly on the diagonal)⠀
1 heaped tsp Dijon mustard⠀
1 tbsp red wine vinegar⠀
Olive oil⠀
1-2tbsp chopped fresh tarragon (or 1-2tsp dried tarragon)

A small handful of capers, rinsed well and roughly chopped⠀
200g feta cheese, cut into cubes⠀

Method⠀

1. Leave the potatoes whole or cut into smaller pieces as you prefer. Boil or steam until just tender.⠀
2. While the potatoes are cooking, quickly top and tail the beans and boil or steam in a different pan until just al dente. If you're not planning to eat the salad straightaway then drain and quickly refresh the beans under cold running water. Otherwise keep warm.⠀
3. Again while the vegetables are cooking, make the dressing. Put the mustard and vinegar in a small jar and stir to combine well. Then add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and shake well to emulsify. Keep adding more oil, tasting as you go - you might need up to 6 tbsp. I know that seems a lot but the potatoes will absorb it! Add the tarragon and capers to the dressing and shake again.⠀
4. Once the potatoes are cooked, gently toss them with the beans in about half of the dressing. Taste and see if you want to add more dressing. Once you're happy with it, crumble the feta cheese over and serve.