Salad: Spain – Ensalada Campera (Spanish country potato & green bean salad)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 20 min

Additional 20 min

Total 1 hr

Ingredients

- 1 lb (454 g) small waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold or red), scrubbed
- 8 oz (225 g) green beans, trimmed
- 4 large eggs, approx. 7 oz (200 g) total, hard‑boiled
- 7 oz (200 g) canned tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup (75 g) jarred roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
- 1/3 cup (50 g) pitted black olives, halved (Manzanilla or Kalamata)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra‑virgin olive oil (plus extra if needed from tuna)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) smoked paprika (optional)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh flat‑leaf parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Put potatoes in a pot, cover with cold salted water, bring to a simmer and cook until just tender when pierced, about 15–20 minutes depending on size. Drain, let cool slightly, peel if desired, and cut into 1/2‑inch (1 cm) slices or chunks; reserve a few tablespoons of the cooking water.
2. While potatoes cook, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch green beans until bright and just tender, 3–4 minutes. Immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking, then drain and pat dry; cut into 1–1.5 inch (2.5–4 cm) lengths if desired.
3. Make the dressing: whisk together 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra‑virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp (30 ml) sherry vinegar, 1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard, minced garlic, smoked paprika (if using), and salt and pepper to taste. If the dressing seems too sharp, whisk in 1–2 tsp (5–10 ml) of the reserved potato cooking water to loosen and mellow it.
4. In a large bowl, combine warm potato pieces, blanched green beans, sliced red onion, cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and olives. Add the flaked tuna and about half the chopped parsley. Pour the dressing over the mixture while the potatoes are still slightly warm so they absorb flavor; gently toss to combine, being careful not to break up the potatoes and tuna too much.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper; add a little more olive oil or vinegar if needed. Transfer to a serving platter or bowl, nestle halved hard‑boiled eggs on top, sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and let sit 15–30 minutes to meld flavors. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.