John tasted the salad and said in a surprised way, "wow, that's so good!" He fessed up that he couldn't believe a salad with wax beans, potatoes, and arugula could be very tasty. But it is (and healthy, too).
1/3 cup walnuts
1 1/2 pounds small potatoes, cut in half
1/2 pound (or so) yellow wax beans
3 or 4 green onions, white and green parts
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
fresh basil, chopped, to taste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 ounces baby arugula
Toast walnuts quickly in the microwave for one minute.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a colander to drain and cool. Set aside.
Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Return pan of water to a boil. Add wax beans, and cook until just tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Drain.
Whisk together vinegar, yogurt, mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl; season with pepper. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Add basil. Set dressing aside.
Arrange arugula, potatoes, and green beans on a platter. Season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with toasted walnuts; toss to coat.