Potato and asparagus salad
Spring is well and truly here in good old NZ. As the weather gets warmer I tend to crave less hearty meals. Yummy stews are swapped for salads and cheesy potato mash turns into crispy wedges. Besides the amazing weather, Spring also brings about a whole range of veges and fruits! One of these veges is the mighty Asparagus
! As you can see I quite like asparagus. Any asparagus lovers out there who feel the same joy I do?! It is such a versatile vegetable and full of beneficial nutrients.
To make full use of the asparagus season I have been using them in everything. I make stir-fry with them, bake them, grill them and most recently , I started using them in salads. It is a great addition to any salad dish because it adds texture and a nice sweet flavour. My absolute favourite salad is potato salad; which is also probably the fattest ever salad once you add in the bacon and mayo 
. So in an effort to reduce the fat factor I made some swaps and omitted the bacon. I usually pair this with my easy roast chicken for a simple meal. Try it out and let me know how you get on!
- 3 large potatoes
- 7 stalks asparagus
- 2 springs spring onion
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp plain unsweetened yogurt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- Start with boiling a pot of water.
- Peel potatoes, cut into cubes (around 2cm) and boil in pot of boiling water till cooked. Refer to note.
- When potatoes are cooked, drain and run under cold water. Shake off excess water, place in a bowl and set aside.
- Clean asparagus stalks, cut into sections about 2cm in length. Set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to boil and blanch asparagus sections. Strain and run blanched asparagus under cold water.
- Shake excess water off blanched asparagus and add to the same bowl as potatoes.
- Cover the bowl and place in fridge till potatoes and asparagus are chilled.
- Mix yogurt, mayonnaise, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper together in a bowl till smooth. Wrap and set aside.
- When potatoes and asparagus are sufficiently chilled, remove from fridge.
- Finely slice spring onions and add to the bowl of potatoes.
- Add the mayonnaise mixture to the bowl of potatoes. Mix well.
- Serve.
- Be careful not to overcook the potatoes! You still want them firm but cooked through.You don't want them to break, so as soon as you are able to easily pierce through them. They are ready.
- Feel free to add bacon, surimi or sausage pieces! I just omitted it to make this a lighter dish.
. I know how frustrating it is to make a dish only to fail despite all your efforts – makes you want to just go get takeout doesn’t it? So, this category will feature a range of simple, fail-proof baking and cooking recipes for all the beginners out there. These recipes are those that I have used time and time again. All the mistakes that could be made, I have done. I will include my tips to avoid them and hopefully, you will have a pleasant cooking/baking experience with them!
