The weather’s warming up, and salads are back on the menu. With inspiration from a friend, Belinda Jeffery takes a fresh summer salad and gives it a little extra oomph…
My lovely neighbour and very good cook, Diane Hart, gave me the idea for this salad saying it was one she had been making for years, and that her now-adult children still love it and often cajole her into making it when they visit.
I can well understand why, as I adore peas, mint and potato together – it’s such a brilliant and time-honoured combination – but I also wondered how a little ‘bite’ from some chives and a sprinkle of crisp, salty bacon (I do so love bacon and peas) would go in it – and as it turns out, they go very well indeed!
Potato, Pea and Bacon Salad (serves 8-10)
1.3kg waxy potatoes, scrubbed
350g frozen (or fresh, in season) peas
½ cup sour cream
½ cup good quality mayonnaise
1/3 cup tightly-packed mint leaves
1-2 tablespoons snipped chives/sliced shallots – to try and check
Sea salt crystals, to taste
2 large rashers bacon, rinds removed and bacon diced
Small mint leaves, to garnish
Cook the potatoes whichever way you like, until they’re just tender when pierced with a fine skewer. (I usually leave the skins on and steam them whole, however if I’m short on time, I’ll peel , halve and quarter them before cooking, so they cook and cool faster, and just need chopping into chunks). Drain them and leave them to cool a little, then peel off the skins and let them cool completely. Finally cut them into bite-sized chunks and scoop them into a large bowl.
While the potatoes are cooking, steam the peas in another saucepan for about 3 minutes or until they’re just tender and bright-green. Drain them, then immediately dunk them into a bowl of ice and water to stop them cooking and set the colour. Drain the peas well in a sieve.
Tip the most of the peas into a blender (or food processor fitted with the steel blade), reserving a handful to scatter over the top of the salad. Dollop in the sour cream and mayonnaise, then add the mint leaves, chives and salt. Blend them together to form a gloriously gloopy, vivid green puree. Taste it, and add a bit more of any of the ingredients you think it needs.
Pour the pea puree over the potatoes, and using your hands (I slip on prep gloves for this as it’s pretty messy) gently mix the two together, then pile the mixture into a serving bowl.
Shortly before serving the salad, cook the diced bacon in a small frying pan over medium heat until it’s done to your liking. When the pieces are ready, scoop them out of the pan onto brown paper (or paper towel) to drain.
Finally, scatter the reserved peas, bacon and mint leaves over the top of the salad, and serve.
