My late mother was the queen of salads. Whenever there was a potluck gathering, the requests came early for her to be the one to bring the green salad. I thought about her as I developed the recipe for this concoction that teams crisp greens tossed with a creamy vinaigrette, and then is garnished with smashed Baby Dutch Yellow potatoes, still warm and crunchy. I am quite sure she would have approved, although initially she might have questioned the pairing.
The dish is delicious, but to add more flavor, I decided to top the salad with a judicious amount of pickled red onion slices. Pickling red onion is an easy and fast process. Keep them in the fridge and use them in sandwiches, dips, or as a garnish for creamy soups, as well as salads. They add a sweet-tart accent, with a touch of coriander seeds and fennel seeds.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Vinaigrette
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Smashed Potatoes
1 pound Baby Dutch Yellow potatoes
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Spike
Kosher salt to taste
Salad
2 generous handfuls clean baby spinach
4 generous handfuls of bite-size, clean hearts of romaine
6 to 8 torn fresh basil leaves
Pickled onions, see cook’s notes
Cook’s notes: To prepare pickled red onion, in a saucepan, combine 1 1/4 cups rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, and 1 teaspoon fennel seeds. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Off heat add 1 medium red onion (cut in half from top to bottom, peeled, cut into slices). Cool, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks.
1. Prepare vinaigrette: Place vinegar and salt in a jar or small bowl or glass measuring cup with a handle; beat with a fork to dissolve salt. Add honey and mustard; stir to combine. Add 3/4 cup olive oil in a thin stream, stirring continuously. Set aside.
2. For potatoes: preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a Dutch oven or pot, place potatoes with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to boil on high heat; reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 10 to 12 minutes (to test piece with the tip of a pointed knife – it should go in easily, but potatoes shouldn’t be over-cooked). Drain in colander; shake colander to remove excess water. Place potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons oil and seasoned salt; toss to coat potatoes. Spoon potatoes onto prepared baking sheet, taking part of the oil along with them. Place them in single layer, leaving a space between them (some oil might be left in bowl – don’t clean the bowl because the salad will be made there). Smash the potatoes to flatten them (keep them mostly whole). I use the bottom of a measuring cup to press them down. Bake until crisp, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt.
3. In the large bowl, add spinach, lettuce, and basil. Stir vinaigrette and add enough to lightly coat leaves; toss. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Place salad on individual plates. Top each serving with a few smashed potatoes. Place some leftover vinaigrette in a spoon and drizzle a smidgen of it over the smashed potatoes. Garnish each serving with about 8 drained pickled red onion slices. Serve.
Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at @CathyThomas Cooks.com.
