Potato, Broad Bean and Crispy Bacon Salad with Mint Dressing

, from Issue #28. September, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Potato, Broad Bean and Crispy Bacon Salad with Mint Dressing

What’s not to like about this salad? Use nutty, buttery little potatoes like Jersey Benne or seek out small specialty varieties from your local farmers’ market.

Serves: 6–8

INGREDIENTS

800 grams small waxy potatoes, scrubbed (I used Rangeview Jersey Bennes)
1 x 500 gram bag frozen broad beans
150 grams streaky free-farmed bacon, sliced 2 cm wide
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 medium, inner stalks celery, finely sliced, small leaves reserved
Parmesan cheese in a piece for shaving

Dressing
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
finely grated zest 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
small handful mint
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

 

METHOD

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and cool. Peel if desired and cut into large bite-sized pieces.

Cook the broad beans in boiling salted water for 1-2 minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water. Peel off the skins and discard.

Fry the bacon in a sauté pan until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen towels.

Dressing: Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Season.

To serve: Put the potatoes, broad beans, red onion, celery and dressing in a large bowl, turning gently to combine. Transfer to a serving platter and scatter with the celery leaves, bacon. Shave the Parmesan over the top – a vegetable peeler is ideal for this.