Potato & Chorizo Salad

Potato & Chorizo Salad

Normally potato salad is something I serve as a side but this year for Father’s Day we had a picnic lunch with this potato & chorizo salad as the main event. It was the perfect picnic food, hearty and filling and robust enough to stand up to transport. You could say a potato salad is ‘stretching the friendship’ in a book about healthy meals. But if you look at it from the perspective of all real food being good for you it’s not as bad as you might think. Plus the fat from the chorizo and aioli should cancel any blood sugar spikes.

enough for: 2
takes: 40 minutes
450g (1lb) waxy potatoes such as kipfler
200g (7oz) chorizo, sliced
2 tablespoons sherry or wine vinegar
1 bunch flat leaf parsley
garlicky mayo, to serve (optional)

1. Scrub potatoes and place in a pot. Cover with water and add a little salt.

2. Bring to the boil and simmer partially covered until the potatoes are tender, about 1/2 hour. Drain.

3. Return the pot to the heat and add a little oil. Cook chorizo on a medium high heat until browned on both sides and cooked through. About 5 minutes or a little longer.

4. In a medium bowl combine vinegar with 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Season. Slice potatoes into rounds about 1cm (1/2in) thick and toss in the dressing.

5. Toss in the chorizo and parsley. Serve warm or at room temp with garlicky mayo (if using) on the side.

Variations

lower GI – use roast sweet potatoes instead of the regular spuds. Or replace spuds with 2 drained cans of chickpeas.

vegetarian / vegan – skip the chorizo and add a pinch of smoked paprika to the dressing. Add in a few handfuls of sun dried tomatoes (or semi dried tomatoes) and a poached / boiled eggs instead of the chorizo.

vegetarian – replace chorizo with crumbled feta or other salty cheese.

less – you can easily halve this but the leftovers are so lovely I usually make this quantity and keep the rest in the fridge.

higher protein – toss in a few halved hard boiled eggs. Or serve as a side to a roast or BBQ chicken.

more veg – lovely with roast red peppers, grilled eggplant or grilled zucchini.

short on time – slice the potatoes before boiling. Will reduce the cooking time significantly but the spuds tend to take up more water. You could also cook the chorizo in a different pan at the same time as the potatoes but it will mean more washing up at the end!

carb lovers / more substantial – serve with crusty bread + butter.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

potatoes / vinegar – keep in the pantry.

chorizo – freeze it.

flat leaf parsley – tends to be the most long lasting of the leafy herbs. Should keep for a few weeks in the fridge if wrapped in a plastic bag. For longer periods pop it in the freezer – it will wilt but will still be useable in this dish.

mayo – unopened in pantry or in fridge once opened.