Rustic Dinner Salad w/ roasted potatoes, olives & green beans

It is so incredibly hot in Auckland at the moment! I swear this is the most humid January I can remember in a while. A dinner that is refreshing while still being satisfying is essential.

I adore this combination of roasted baby potatoes atop a crispy salad full of goodies. Feel free to adapt the recipe as suits you. We've eaten it again this week. The second time I swapped out the vinaigrette for an anchovy mayo and served it with spice roasted chicken thighs. It was superb that way as well.

We are heading into a long weekend here and it feels as though everyone is leaving town. We certainly are. I can't wait. Wherever you are heading, please drive and swim carefully! Hugs. Kelly xox

Rustic Dinner Salad w/ Roasted Potatoes, Olives & Eggs

Serves 3-4

500 grams baby potatoes (any small potato variety will do - Jersey Benne or Baby Perlas are ideal)

250 grams green beans

3-4 free range eggs (allow 1 per person)

100 grams fresh rocket leaves

18 kalamata olives

12 cherry tomatoes - halved

Dressing

Juice of one lemon

4 tablespoons good quality olive oil

1 clove garlic - finely diced

1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup or coconut sugar

generous pinch sea salt

Generous grind cracked black pepper

Ghee or olive oil for roasting

Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnishing

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Cut the potatoes in half. Place in an oven proof dish. Drizzle generously with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to ensure well coated and roast for 30 minutes until golden and tender.

Trim and halve the beans. Bring a medium sized saucepan of water to the boil. Blanch the beans for 2 minutes before draining and immediately plunging into ice cold water to cool completely. Lay out on a tea towel to dry.

Bring another medium sized saucepan of water to the boil. Add the eggs and cook for precisely 6 minutes. Cool under cold water before peeling. Cut in half.

Place all the dressing ingredients into a small jar and shake vigourously to combine. 

To assemble: Toss the rocket in 2/3 of the dressing. Add additional as desired. Lay out on a platter. Scatter all the other components on top. Season with sea salt and cracked black pepper and scatter a small handful of pumpkin seeds on top. Serve immediately.