GRILLED NEW-POTATO SALAD
May sees the first crop of new potatoes. I like to grill them with spring onions and gem lettuce – which turns extra flavoursome and juicy when charred – and dress the lot with a punchy buttermilk and English mustard dressing.
• 800g small new potatoes, skin on is fine
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 150g sour cream
• 100g buttermilk (or plain yoghurt with a bit of milk)
• Small bunch parsley, half very finely chopped, half roughly chopped
• Half tsp of English mustard, or more to taste
• Half lemon, or more to taste (or use cider vinegar)
• 3 little gem lettuces, cut into wedges, stems intact
• 1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and cut in half
METHOD
1. Boil the potatoes in well-salted water for 10–12 mins until tender. Drain, then toss in 1 tbsp olive oil.
2. While the potatoes are boiling, mix the sour cream, buttermilk, finely chopped parsley and the mustard. Season well with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice or cider vinegar. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Toss the gem wedges, spring onions and a big pinch of salt in the remaining olive oil.
4. Heat a grill pan or BBQ to very hot and grill the gem and spring onions until nicely charred and wilting just a little. The spring onions will take slightly longer than the lettuce (about four mins). Remove from the grill and arrange on a serving plate.
5. Grill the potatoes over a high heat until they have charred nicely in places. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from the grill and add to the grilled spring onions and lettuce.
6. To serve, spoon over with the dressing and add the roughly chopped parsley.