Potatoes and Green Beans with Cucumber and Yogurt Dressing

Potatoes and Green Beans with Cucumber and Yogurt Dressing
By: Williams-Sonoma

For the dressing:
2/3 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1/3 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt and ground pepper
¾ cup peeled, seeded, and finely diced English (hot-house) cucumber

5 Yukon gold potatoes (about 1 ¾ lb), peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut cross-wise into slices 1/3 inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
½ lb green beans, trimmed, and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons white wine vinegar

To make dressing, in a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, dill, oregano, ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir in the cucumber. Set aside.

Pour water to a depth of 1 inch in a large pot and bring to a boil. Put the potatoes into a collapsible steam basket and set the basket over the boiling water. (The water should not touch the bottom of the steamer basket.) Cover and steam until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a small knife, about 14 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Let cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and pepper.

In the same steamer, cook the green beans until just tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the green beans to the bowl with the potatoes. Sprinkle to taste with kosher salt and pepper and let cool to lukewarm, about 20 minutes.

Mix the vinegar into the cucumber-yogurt dressing. Stir enough of the dressing into the salad to coat generously. Serve at once.

Make-Ahead Tip: The cucumber-yogurt dressing may be prepared 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate.

Makes 6 servings

Mashed Potatoes Baked with Three Cheeses

Mashed Potatoes Baked with Three Cheeses
By: Williams-Sonoma

Unsalted butter for greasing
4 large russet potatoes, about 2 ½ lb, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes
4 ½ oz Brie cheese, rind removed, cut into ½ inch dice
5 ½ oz fresh white goat cheese, crumbled
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup whole milk, plus more if needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 inch pie dish.

Pour water to a depth of 1 inch into a large pot and bring to a boil. Put the potatoes into a collapsible steamer basket and set the basket over the boiling water. (The water should not touch the bottom of the steamer basket.) Cover and steam until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a small knife, about 15 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl.

Empty the pot and wipe dry. Return the potatoes to the still-hot pot. Add 2/3 of Brie cheese, 2/3 of the goat cheese, and 2/3 of the Parmesan cheese and mash well with a potato masher. Add the ¼ cup milk, a scant ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and mash to blend, adding more milk, 1 Tablespoon at a time, if needed to reach the desired consistency. Transfer the potatoes to the prepared dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the potatoes.

Bake the potatoes until heated through and the cheese is just beginning to brown on top, about 20 minutes. Serve at once, sprinkle with parsley.

Make-Ahead Tip: This dish can be prepared up to 2 hours in advance. Cover loosely and let stand at room temperature until ready to bake.

Serving Tip: These mashed potatoes are very rich, so serve them with a simple main course such as grilled salmon, chicken or lamb chops.

Serves 6