FINGERLING POTATO SALAD WITH HONEY-THYME VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Scrub the potatoes and cook in boiling water with the 1 tsp salt until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well and spread on a cookie sheet to cool. Halve lengthwise when cool enough to handle.
• Trim and halve haricots verts or green beans. Drop into 3 cups boiling water, return to boil, reduce heat and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until crisp-tender. Drain and drop into a bowl of ice water. Let stand 5 minutes, then drain well.
• For vinaigrette, mix vinegar, shallot, honey, thyme, mustard, salt and pepper in food processor or blender and process until smooth. With processor or blender running, slowly pour in the oil in a steady stream, until the mixture is thickened.
• In a large salad bowl, combine the potatoes, beans and red onion. Drizzle over enough dressing to coat everything thoroughly. Cover and chill from 2 to 24 hours.Serve.
• Just before serving, toss salad with bacon and top with feta. Serve additional vinaigrette on the side, or reserve for another use.
• Note1: Fingerling potatoes are not around just now, so I used red potatoes that I peeled and cut into quarters or eights, which worked very nicely. I have also added some sweet potatoes to the other potatoes, and that was good, too.
• Note2: I mixed the vinaigrette in a 2 cup measuring cup with my stick blender, which worked perfectly.
• Note3: Extra dressing keeps for several weeks, according to chef, but I used it up faster than that.
• Note4: This makes a whole lot more salad than I can use. I just cook up two or three potatoes, a good handful of the beans and drizzle a bit of the dressing on it. Once you make the dressing, this is a snap.
• Note5: I use just a slice or two of bacon per serving, and often don't use it at all. I think chunks of good ham or turkey would be really nice in this, too.