New Potato Salad with Fennel, Lemon, Onions & Crispy Capers

The crème fraiche & lemon in the dressing of this salad lightens the dish along with the shaved fennel and radishes. It’s kind of two salads rolled into one and you can mix it all together or serve the potato salad part on top of the dressed fennel and radishes. This salad is versatile and can be easily adapted to your own preference. Leave off the fennel and radish component, add more or less onion, sliced hard boiled eggs or even crispy bacon. The fried capers are a delicious finishing touch to this salad, but you could add them in uncooked if you prefer.

INGREDIENTS

Potato Salad:

700g new potatoes
3 Tbsp salt
30gms / about 4 Tbsp capers in brine, drained
1/2 cup olive oil
1 small red onion peeled and finely sliced
A few sliced spring onions (optional)
A few wedges of lemon to serve

Fennel & radish salad:

1 small fennel bulb, finely sliced on a mandolin
Small handful of fennel leaves, finely chopped
6 – 8 radishes finely sliced on a mandolin
2 Tbsp olive oil
Juice from one lemon

Dressing:

½ cup crème fraiche
3 Tbsp good quality mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp caper brine
Zest and juice of one lemon
1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 – 2 Tbsp finely chopped chives
A generous grinding of Black pepper (about 3/3 of a teaspoon) and salt

METHOD

Bring a large casserole of water to the boil, add the potatoes and 3 tablespoons of salt. Boil for about 20 – 25 minutes and until knife tender, drain in a colander and allow to cool slightly.

Slice the red onion thinly through the root end. This creates arcs vs half-moon shape slices which eat better and look nicer. Rinse under cold water to removes some of the abrasiveness. You could chop them up finely if you prefer.

While the potatoes are cooking, finely slice the fennel and radishes and put into bowl with ice cubes ad water to crisp up.

Drain the capers on 4 sheets of paper towel. Heat the olive oil in a small pan and when it reaches 180C, fry until they frizzle up and turn crispy. About 3 – 4 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.

Make the dressing by combing all the ingredients into a small bowl adjusting the seasoning to your taste. Reserve half the chives for garnish.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle cut them into half or quarters. Toss in the red onion and spring onion (reserving a few for garnish) and the dressing.

Dry the fennel and radish and toss lightly in a bowl with olive oil, lemon juice, fennel fonds, and season well with salt and pepper.

Assemble the salad by spreading the fennel and radish on a Le Creuset BBQ Platter. Top with the dressed potato salad and sprinkle over the crispy capers and reserved chopped chives.

Image and recipe by Drizzle and Dip