Warm Potato Salad with Basil Cucumber Dressing

Everything featured in this meal minus the salt, pepper and olive oil was picked from a friend's garden earlier today. I could not be more psyched about eating food picked right in front of my face and eaten mere hours later. It was not surprising that everything was infinitely more tender, sweet and delectable than produce found in the store.

Sweet yellow onions, purple fingerlings, braising greens, peppers and oregano flowers lightly dressed in a fresh basil and cucumber dressing.

Warm Potato Salad
serves 2
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, large dice
4 fingerling potatoes, large slice
3 cups mixed braising greens (kale, chard)
salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 hot peppers, seeded, roughly chopped
1 zucchini, large slice
1/2 cup chopped scallions
small handful oregano flowers

Saute the onion, potatoes and greens in olive oil for 5-7 minutes until they start to become tender. Add the garlic, hot peppers and zucchini. Season with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes.Toast until the garlic has browned, 3 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of water and cover. Steam for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook to evaporate any liquid and lightly brown the vegetables.
Garnish with scallions and flowers and drizzle with dressing while still warm.

Basil Cucumber Dressing
1 cup roughly chopped, seeded cucumber, skin on
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
juice from 1 lemon
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Blend the cucumber, basil and lemon together into a paste. With the machine on, slowly stream in the olive oil and continue to blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.