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Potato, Apple and Fennel Salad- Billy Allin |
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Monday, 12 November 2007 |
Billy Allin’s Potato, Apple and Fennel Salad
This is a great salad when local apples start to arrive at the farmer’s market the beginning of October. You can certainly make it well into the Fall and Winter, as availability of the produce should not be a problem. Try ot use at least three varieties of potatoes, especially jewel yams. You could substitute one of the potato varieties with diced celery root and sometimes add fresh, grated horseradish (especially good with veal tongue). This dish goes well with local trout and roasted meats, especially pork and fowl.
Yield: approximately 1 qt., 4-6 servings.
½ pound jewel yams
1 tart local apple
1/4 pound small new potatoes
1/4- ½ pound bulb fennel (look for small, long slender bulbs as opposed to large round ones)
1/4 Peruvian blue potatoes
1 shallot, peeled and minced
1-2 T. Cider vinegar (depending on how tart you like the salad)
1 T. Salt packed capers (brine packed if salt packed are unavailable), soaked in cold water for 10 minutes and drained
½ c. mayonnaise, preferably homemade.
1-2 T heavy cream
½ t. sugar, optional (if you like a sweeter salad)
1 T. Chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste.
In a small bowl, combine the minced shallot with the 1 T. Cider vinegar (reserve the rest to adjust the seasoning of the final salad) and a pinch of salt and set aside. Place three small pots on the stove, and fill pots with water and 1 t. salt. Peel and cut each potato into a ½ inch dice. The most important thing is that the pieces are of equal size so all cook evenly. Put each type of potato in its separate pot. Turn on the stove and bring each pot to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until each is just tender, approximately 6-8 minutes. Drain each pot and spread the potatoes pieces on a sheet tray to cool slightly.
While the potatoes cook, combine mayonnaise, macerated shallot (with vinegar), mustard, capers, parsley, pepper and optional sugar to taste. Cut the fennel bulb in half and remover the core, then thinly slice it across the grain. Peel and dice the apple approximately the same size as the potatoes. Combine all in a large bowl and fold gently. Add 1 T. Cream and fold gently. If the mixture seems a little dry, add the other T. Of cream. Serve at room temperature.
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