New Potato & Bean Salad with Ivy’s Somerset Red

New potatoes and green beans are a Summery seasonal treat. Pairing them with the sharp savouriness of Ivy’s Reserve Somerset Red makes this salad more than the sum of its parts. Dressing the salad while it’s still slightly warm encourages the cheese to soften and form a creamy part of the dressing.

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• 500g new potatoes,scrubbed
• 150g fine green beans, stalk end trimmed and beans halved
• 150g runner beans, de-stringed with a peeler and cut into 1cm diagonal pieces
• 50g frozen or freshly podded peas
• 50g frozen or freshly podded broad beans
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 4 gherkins, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 100g Ivy’s Reserve Somerset Red, shaved into thin pieces with a potato peeler
• Handful of basil leaves
• Salt & pepper

1. Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to the boil. Cook the green beans and runner beans at a rolling boil for 4 minutes. Meanwhile, half fill a large mixing bowl with water and ice. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beans to the cold water to stop them cooking (this will also help to keep them bright green). Repeat with the peas and broad beans and cook until they bob to the surface, about 90 seconds. Lift them into the bowl with the fine and runner beans and set aside.
2. Return the pan of water to the boil and lower in the new potatoes. Boil for 15 – 20 minutes, depending on their size, until they’re tender throughout to the point of a sharp knife. While the potatoes are cooking, combine the shallots, gherkins, both mustards, oil and lemon juice in a large serving bowl. Season and stir to combine. Drain the green vegetables and pat dry on a clean tea towel.
3. Drain the potatoes, and while they’re still warm, stir them through the mustard and gherkin dressing mixture – this will help them to absorb some of the flavour from the dressing as they cool. Scatter over the Ivy’s Reserve Somerset red, green vegetables and stir to combine. Scatter over the basil leaves before serving. This salad is best served slightly warm or at room temperature.