Spinach, Turmeric and Mint Potato Salad Recipe

Taken from Cafe Cooking by Gillian Veal

As we shift into autumn, we thought it was a good time to remind you that salads are not just for summer time, and we decided to share this fabulous potato salad recipe from Gillian Veal’s recent publication Cafe Cooking.

So dig up the remaining tatties from your garden patch, or go buy some local ones and get cooking this delicious dish.

Recipe:

The east of Scotland is potato country and we grow loads of them at Cambo so we always have a potato salad on the menu. For salad you want a waxy variety of potato, not the larger floury ones a they won’t hold their shape. This is one of my favourite potato salads. When we have them in the garden, I add a few slices of radish.

Serves 4

500g baby potatoes or any waxy potato

1 tsp turmeric

2 sprigs fresh mint, leaves only, roughly chopped

150g spinach, rocket or mixed leaves, roughly chopped

3 spring onions, sliced lengthways in half, then diagonally into 2cm slices

1 tsp nigella seeds (optional)

3 heaped tbsp pickled red onion

salt and white pepper

for the dressing:

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp runny honey or maple syrup

6 tbsp olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the potatoes in half and put them in a large pot. Fill the pot three-quarters full with water, plenty of salt and the turmeric, then bring the pot to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain them in a colander and set them aside to cool.

Put the warm potatoes in a large bowl and add the mint leaves and the spinach, rocket or mixed leaves. Add the sliced spring onions, the nigella seeds, if using, and the pickled red onions.

To make the salad dressing, put the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, mustard and honey or maple syrup into a bowl and whisk it together. Taste and add salt and pepper as you think it needs it, then pour in the olive oil and whisk until the dressing emulsifies.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything gently but firmly. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.