The Vegetable:
Potatoes are everywhere. They are in a majority of households, holding sway in their spot on the dinner plate; in restaurants and cafes fried up as golden glory into chips and wedges; even the least culinary minded among us able to recognise and cook these common tubers.
High in vitamin C and carbohydrates, the starchy vegetables from the nightshade family are an important source of energy in many diets.Â
Potatoes originate from the Andean region of South America, eventually migrating here to New Zealand with the British, where they’re grown and consumed baked, boiled, mashed, roasted, fried, stuffed....
‘New potatoes’ are any young potato, and spring is such a great time to enjoy their more tender taste. As potatoes mature they take on more waxy or floury cooked textures, making them great for use in other recipes.
High in vitamin C and carbohydrates, the starchy vegetables from the nightshade family are an important source of energy in many diets.Â
Potatoes originate from the Andean region of South America, eventually migrating here to New Zealand with the British, where they’re grown and consumed baked, boiled, mashed, roasted, fried, stuffed....
‘New potatoes’ are any young potato, and spring is such a great time to enjoy their more tender taste. As potatoes mature they take on more waxy or floury cooked textures, making them great for use in other recipes.
The Dish:
New potatoes don’t require much adornment, and would honestly be delicious simply boiled or roasted with a touch of butter or olive oil and sea salt. I like to bulk up the vegetable ratio of any meal, and also had a burgundy bunch of baby beetroot and various greens to use up, so this tray salad was created. Buttery new potatoes, sweet roasted beetroot, fresh greens, tangy labneh, all drizzled with olive oil and zippy horseradish to play against the sweeter nature of spring vegetables- it looks lovely and is simple and delicious!
The Ingredients:
~500g New Potatoes
~1 bunch Baby Beetroot, plus saved greens
-extra spinach/microgreens /radish leaves/mesclun mix, as much as you like in your salad
-300g Labneh (see notes below)
-Sea Salt and Cracked Peppercorn, to taste
-70ml Olive Oil, plus extra for cooking
-2 teaspoon Horseradish (or mustard if horseradish isn’t your thing)
-1 teaspoon Honey (or maple syrup)
The How To:
Rinse and then chop potatoes into similar size chunks; I left the smallest rounds whole and chopped the rest to be close in size for cooking. Fill a pot with just enough salted cold water to submerge your spuds, bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, preheat the oven to 200*. Wash and slice the beetroot in halves, again in order to find a consistent size for baking.Â
Line two baking trays. Toss the beetroot with a bit of olive oil and sea salt on one tray. Once the potatoes have boiled for their allotted 10 min, drain and then place them on the second baking tray, also tossed with a bit of oil and salt. Place the beetroot and potato into the oven and bake until the beetroot is tender and easily pierced with a fork (about 35 min), and the potatoes golden.
While the beetroot and potatoes are in the oven, mix the dressing of olive oil, horseradish and honey. Rinse and dry beet greens and whatever other salad greens you’re using. If the greens are large, chop them up into more manageable mouth size.
Once the beetroot and potato are cooked remove from oven. I heaped all the greens and beetroot atop the potatoes, straight on the tray. Dollop the labneh around, then drizzle the dressing over the whole beautiful mess. Few pinches of salt and cracked pepper and you are ready to dig in! New potatoes a whole new way.
Tidbits:
-Labneh is a yoghurt cheese hailing from the Middle East, with the luscious consistency of cream cheese, made by simply draining the whey from yoghurt through cheesecloth. You can buy labneh from the store, but I highly recommend making your own. Use plain, unsweetened full fat yoghurt, or coconut yoghurt for plant based. Grab cheesecloth or the thinnest clean kitchen linen you have. Place over a colander, over a larger bowl, to catch the whey liquid which will drain from the yoghurt. Mix yoghurt with a squeeze of lemon juice and pinch of salt, then empty into the cloth lined colander. Twist to close and weight lightly with a plate or such to encourage the slow trickle of liquid to escape. Place in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. When you return carefully unwrap and behold- you’ve made labneh! Use as you would cream cheese, add herbs and spices for a savoury dip, or honey and cinnamon for a sweeter flavour to top pancakes or toast. The reserved whey can also be used rather than tossed; it’s high in protein, great in smoothies or as a starter for certain easy ferments.
-This salad makes a perfect meal served with soft boiled eggs or lentils!
Created by Elena Keir of Naked Cakes & WholefoodsÂ