The Best Nut-Free Pesto Potato Salad You'll Ever Make

Sounds rather presumptuous, I know. Still, I doubt very much you will ever make a pesto potato salad that surpasses what I brought to the table this evening, so rather than repeatedly attempting the impossible (to improve on it) why not jot down these instructions instead? That's a good reader now. Pens at the ready (OK fine, mouse hovering over, "Print page")?

You Will Need:

Waxy yellow boiling potatoes, the smaller the better cut into dice
2 heaping cups of fresh basil leaves
1 clove of green garlic, finely minced nearly to a paste
Salt
Cheese of your choice, about 1/4 cup very finely shredded
Olive oil-about 1/4 cup

Boil the potatoes taking care not to overcook them. Drain, rinse in cold water, and set aside. Meanwhile, blanch the basil leaves for 30 seconds. Drain, and refresh under cold water. Drain well, and pat dry. Chop as finely as possible (I used a big chef's knife) and chop again with the minced garlic. It should be pretty well a mush by this point. Because you blanched the basil, it will retain the vibrant green colour.

In a bowl, combine the basil, garlic, and cheese. Add the salt, and then slowly stir in the oil-how much you need will depend on the cheese, your tastes, etc. Toss with the potatoes.

There-you just made the best Nut-Free Pesto Potato Salad You'll Ever Make and you did it without a blender, food processor, or other fancy kitchen tools that just take up space on your counter. You can make this ahead, and freeze it but don't add the cheese until you are ready to serve.