Scandinavian Salmon and Potato Salad

This salad is inspired by the flavours of gravadlax – a cured salmon from Scandinavia that uses dill and is often served with a creamy mustard sauce.

Ingredients

1 egg
300g small new potatoes
100g green beans, trimmed
200g baby spinach leaves
200g cherry tomatoes
1 x 213g can red salmon
1 lemon
1 x 30ml spoon olive oil
1 x 15ml spoon wholegrain mustard
2 x medium pickled gherkins
10g fresh dill
3 x 15ml low-fat crème fraiche
1 x 15ml spoon cold water
½ x 5ml spoon black pepper

Equipment

Weighing scales
Small saucepan
Medium saucepan
Colander
Steamer basket or heatproof sieve
Sharp knife
Fork
Chopping board
Scissors
Plastic cup
Measuring spoons
Large mixing bowl
Medium mixing bowl
Juicer

Instructions

1. Wash the vegetables and herbs.
2. Bring the water to the boil in the small saucepan and boil the egg for 9 minutes and then cool quickly under cold running water and set aside.
3. Halve the potatoes lengthways and boil for 10-15 minutes in the medium saucepan or until they drop easily from a fork when tested.
4. Cut the green beans in half. Carefully place the green beans in a steamer or heatproof colander and steam on top of the boiling potatoes for
   approximately 10 minutes or until they are cooked but still have some bite. Cool quickly under cold running water and set aside. Drain the potatoes in a colander, cool quickly under cold running water and set aside.
5. Slice the lemon in half and squeeze the juice from one half into the large mixing bowl with the olive oil and whisk with a fork. Cut the other half into wedges.
6. Add the cooked potatoes, green beans and baby spinach leaves to the large mixing bowl. Halve the cherry tomatoes and add to the other vegetables. Toss everything together.
7. Chop the gherkins into small dice and add to the medium mixing bowl.
8. Chop the dill using scissors in a plastic cup.
9. In the medium mixing bowl combine the crème fraiche, grainy mustard, chopped dill and gherkins. Ideally your dressing will have the consistency of double cream. If it’s a little too thick add 1 x 15ml spoon cold water.
10. Open and drain the canned salmon. Carefully fold the salmon into the dressing taking care not to overmix. You want some of the salmon chunks to remain.
11. Assemble the potato salad on your serving plate and top with the salmon mixture.
12. Peel the egg and cut into quarters, garnish the salad with the egg, lemon wedges and sprigs of dill and black pepper.

Skills used include:
Washing, boiling/simmering, chopping, steaming, squeezing, mixing and whisking.

Top Tips

• Steaming the beans on top of the potatoes saves time and energy.

Something to try next time

• Try adding different herbs instead of dill or different types of lettuce leaves.
• You could use leftover potatoes instead of cooking from scratch or use leftover pasta instead.