Kipfler Potato Salad with Salsa Verde and Horseradish Crème Fraîche
A perfect make ahead dish for the festive season
For me potato salad is synonymous with Christmas, or more accurately Summer Solstice. Growing up at Commonground Community, we celebrate Summer Solstice instead of Christmas. Everyone is asked to bring a special dish for our communal celebration lunch. We have a little ritual, exchange gifts, stuff ourselves silly with beautiful vegetarian food, drink champagne and finish the afternoon off with many volley ball games into the evening. We have been doing this for as long as I can remember and I'm pretty sad I am going to have to miss it this year. I love our new home in the Adelaide Hills but it can be hard being away from so many loved ones especially at this time of the year. I am aware this is the case for so many of you at the moment, for some it's been years since you been able to hug your family members.
I usually try out a new recipe every Summer Solstice but a few people make the same dish every year. Mum used to make asparagus and hollandaise, Kate always makes the pudding (who's recipe I'll be sharing soon) and Phil always makes the potato salad. They have become such a tradition that it wouldn't feel like Solstice without them. But this year I am going to have to make them my self! So here is my version of a potato salad in honour of Phil.
The poor old potato salad has managed got itself a pretty bad reputation these days. And with good reason really when you think about the potato salad from your local supermarket deli slathered in mass produced mayonnaise. Nothing appealing about that. As a massive mayo fan, I am not against mayonnaise or a creamy dressing for potato salad, but it has to be done right. The mayo needs to be home made or good quality and with lots of herbs and other flavours.
I personally prefer it with an oil based dressing like I have made here. This recipe is packed full of garlic, lemon, capers, picked shallots, and loads of fresh herbs. But I could't resist adding a side of horseradish and lemon crème fraiche. I feel like this way you get the best of both worlds! A nice fresh zingy salad with just a touch of creamy goodness. But feel free to leave out the crème fraiche, it's still totally delicious without it.
Kipfler Potato Salad with Salsa Verde and Horseradish Crème Fraîche
Makes: Enough for 4-6 people to share
Dietary guide: This recipe is gluten free and vegan if you omit the crème fraîche or replace it with vegan yoghurt. To make it FODMAP friendly omit the pickled shallots and replace the garlic in both the potato salad and crème fraîche with 1 teaspoon of garlic infused olive oil in each.
Ingredients
500g of kipfler potatoes
1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of salt
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 small hand full of basil
1 lemon
2 teaspoons of chopped spring onion
1 teaspoon of chopped capers
½ a cup of chopped mixed herbs*
150ml of crème fraiche
1 teaspoon of prepared horseradish cream
For the pickled shallots
2 teaspoons of coriander seeds (optional)
60ml whiter wine or champagne vinegar
3/4 of a teaspoon of table salt
1 tablespoons of sugar
60ml of olive oil
5 golden shallots sliced into rounds (as thin as you can)
*I like to use tarragon, dill, chives and parsley
Method
Wash and scrub off any dirt from the potatoes. Slice into 2-3cm rounds and place into a medium saucepan. Cover with cold water, add a good pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Turn down and simmer of a low heat until the potatoes are tender (about 20-30 minutes).
Meanwhile prepare the pickled shallots. Dry fry the coriander seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat for a few minutes until they just start to change colour (this helps release their flavour). Add the vinegar, salt, sugar and olive oil and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Turn of the heat and add the sliced shallots. Stir briefly and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until needed.
Now make the herb dressing. Grind the garlic with 1 teaspoon of salt flakes in a mortar and pestle until a rough paste has formed. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix well. Add approximately half of the creamed garlic to a small mixing bowl (reserve the rest for the crème fraiche). Mix through the remaining olive oil, capers, herbs, spring onion, pickled shallots (drained of the pickling liquid), a good amount of fresh black pepper and the zest of about a third of the lemon. Add the cooled potatoes and toss gently but thoroughly. Taste and adjust for more salt, olive oil, lemon zest, capers etc if needed for your taste.
To make the garlic crème fraiche, mix the reserved creamed garlic with the horseradish, creme fraiche, the ring remaining zest from the lemon and a good pinch of salt and pepper Taste and adjust for seasoning.
To serve, spread the crème fraiche on a serving plate. Pile on the potato salad (make sure to get all the dressing!) and top with extra herbs if desired.
