Potato & Asparagus Salad with Pickled Radishes + Creamy Dill Sauce
This salad is a simple dish, but is to me a perfect celebration of spring. It brings together all the good things I like about this season. It's fresh and clean, with the bright flavours of dill and lemon, but also grounding and satisfying, with crispy potatoes tossed in a rich, creamy dressing. Bursts of colorful and crunchy pickled radishes make a perfectly balanced finish. This is a great transitional dish between the fresher days and the warm, sunny ones.
A quick note on quick pickles because they are one of my favourite things to make. Once you start experimenting with them you will never want to stop. Radishes, shallot and red onions are some of my favorites, but you could pickle just about any vegetable: carrot ribbons, daikon, cucumber, wild leeks, the list goes on. I went for a basic base of water, vinegar and maple syrup for these radishes, but you could very well add spices, seeds or herbs to create endless flavour combinations. These pickled radishes are ready in no time and lend to this salad a nice crunchy bite and a lovely acidity.
Notes on the recipe: This salad would make a great side dish but is filling enough to be served as a main. I like to serve it slightly warm or at room temperature. If you have a mandoline, use it for the radishes - you'll get nice and thin slices. Otherwise a sharp knife works well too.
Potato & Asparagus Salad w/ Pickled Radishes + Creamy Dill Sauce
Pickled radishes
2 small radishes, thinly sliced (use a mandoline if you have one)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup
Salad
1 lb (450 g) small potatoes such as fingerling or new potatoes (I used a mix of both)
1 bunch (300 g) asparagus (about 25 spears)
1/2 tbsp cooking oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Creamy dill sauce
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp packed fresh dill, chopped + more for serving
1 tsp maple syrup or honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Water, to thin (I used about 1/4 cup)
For the pickled radishes
Stack radish slices in a medium-sized jar. Mix vinegar, water and maple syrup in a small bowl and pour over the radishes to cover. Seal the jar and let marinate in the refrigerator while you prepare the other ingredients.
For the potatoes
Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash and scrub the potatoes with a vegetable brush to remove any dirt (no need to peel them) and slice them length wise.
In a bowl, toss the potatoes with oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the potatoes cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them out evenly.
Roast until the bottoms are lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes (roasting time will vary according to the size of your potatoes - mine were quite small and were perfect after 15 minutes). Flip the potatoes over and roast again until golden and crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool slightly.
For the creamy dill sauce
Mix sunflower seeds, lemon juice, dijon mustard, dill, maple syrup, sea salt and pepper in a blender on high speed (or use an immersion blender).
Add water, one tablespoon at a time, and blend until the desired consistency is achieved. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside until ready to serve.
For the asparagus
A few minutes before the potatoes are done, prep the asparagus. Remove the tough end and slice into 4 pieces. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the asparagus for 3-4 minutes, until crisp-tender. (Alternatively, you could steam the asparagus in a vegetable steamer for about 3 minutes.)
Rinse the asparagus under cold running water and drain.
To assemble
In a serving bowl, toss together the warm potatoes and cooked asparagus. Top with pickled radishes.
Drizzle a generous portion of the creamy dill sauce on top and sprinkle with more chopped dill if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
