Potato, pea and mint salad

Potatoes and peas are two humble vegetables that work so well together in this lovely salad. The sweetness of maple syrup in the dressing adds a flavour that you don’t often get with potato – but trust me, it’s fresh and delicious.

Ingredients:

For the salad

• 1 kg new potatoes, scrubbed
• ½ teaspoon salt for the cooking water
• 155 g frozen peas, or use fresh peas

For the dressing

• 125 ml olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra to serve
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
• 4 tablespoons finely sliced fresh mint leaves, plus extra to serve

To serve

• 2 large eggs, hard-boiled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Method:

1. Put the potatoes and salt in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over medium–high heat and boil until not quite tender, about 12–15 minutes, testing with the point of a sharp knife. Add the peas and cook for a further 3 minutes, until the peas and potatoes are cooked and tender. Drain the potatoes and peas and refresh them under cold running water. Drain again and set aside to cool.
2. To make the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, sea salt and pepper until emulsified. Stir in the chives and mint.
3. To make the salad, cut the potatoes into 1 cm slices and put them in a large mixing bowl with the peas. Pour in the dressing and toss to combine.
4. To serve, transfer the salad to a serving dish and garnish with the eggs, walnuts, mint leaves and pepper.
5. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This salad is best eaten on the day it is made.

We know what to eat to stay healthy. So why is it so hard to make the right choices?

Tip: Use new potatoes.

This is an edited extract from The Potato Cookbook by Dale Whybrow published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $24.99 and is available in stores nationally. Image credit: Ben Cole.

Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now.

No croutons, no anchovies, no bacon: the 100-year-old Mexican origins of the Caesar salad