Potato and Harissa Salad
I am back in a kitchen and yes, it has been a while! I have a good excuse, there has been much change in my life … hence the long absence from the Joy of Yum Blog. The big news is that I have moved from the beautiful mountains of Colorado to the equally gorgeous north coast of Cornwall, England. My heart has landed here with family and grandchildren. Can’t beat that!
During this transition I was either packing up 21 years of my Colorado life or simply had no kitchen. I have decided to stop making excuses and just get on with creating new and tasty dishes. I may, however, be writing recipes with slightly more relaxed quantities, giving you the opportunity to be playful in the kitchen. When I am established in a kitchen again quantities will once again be exact.
I have made this salad on several occasions, and it has been a huge success each time, despite the fact that the quantities have varied a little because of lack of measuring tools. The salad ingredients have varied depending on what was in the fridge. However, the one ingredient that is essential to make this dressing pop is the Harissa sauce.
The peas add a perfect and easily digestible protein to this salad which can serve as a meal in itself. Occasionally there are fresh, shelled peas in the supermarket which is a joy when I find them and I always snap them up. However if I use frozen peas, they need to be blanched for a minute or two in boiling water, drained and completely dried. I remove all the moisture by placing them on a clean dry towel and gently rolling them around a little until they are dry. I serve this super tasty salad with warm crusty whole grain bread. Yum!
Ingredients
Serves: 4
Time: 30 minutes
600 grams (about 1½ lbs) small new potatoes
¾ of a sweet heart cabbage or small white cabbage, finely sliced
½ red pepper, cut into thin strips
2 carrots, use potato peeler to create thin slices
200 grams, 8 oz fresh peas or frozen petite pois
2 spring onions (green onions) thinly slices
A large handful of fresh sprouts of your choice, for example broccoli sprouts are fabulous
A large handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) chopped, reserve some leaves for serving
50 grams, 2 oz chopped toasted walnuts
Harissa Dressing
4 tablespoons almond butter
1 teaspoon Harissa Sauce (more if your like the heat)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons Tamari or Shoyu (or good quality soy sauce)
1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
1½ tablespoons cider vinegar
3 – 4 tablespoons water
What to do
1. Pop the potatoes in a pan and add just enough cold water to cover. Place a lid on the pan and bring to a boil. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
2. Meanwhile prepare the other veggies and place them in a large bowl.
3. If you use frozen peas just put them in a pan and cover them with boiling water. Leave for a moment or two allowing the peas to thaw. Drain and dry well. Add to the bowl.
4.To toast the walnuts, heat a small frying pan, add the walnuts and keep an eye on them. Move the walnuts around in the pan until they are slightly brown. Turn the walnuts onto a chopping board and roughly chop. Add most of the walnuts to the bowl and save a few for the garnish.
5. Place all the ingredients for the dressing into a high speed blender and whizz for a minute or two.
6. Add the potatoes to the salad bowl and pour over the Harissa dressing, gently blend everything together.
7. Garnish with some chopped cilantro and toasted walnuts.
Whole Food Plant Based Lifestyle Tip: There is a belief that potatoes are fattening, in fact this is not true, (unless you eat way too many) it is what is added to the potatoes that is the problem. Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin B6, essential for cellular health and protecting the cardiovascular system.