Potato, fennel & deli-bits salad
A superior potato salad dotted with olives, sundried tomatoes and ricotta


Recipe Meta
Prep
10 mins
Cook
11 mins
Serves
4-6 as a side
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients
- 750g baby potatoes
- ½ large fennel bulb
- 1 tbsp muscatel vinegar
- 80g marinated kalamata olives (stone-in weight)
- 80g sundried tomatoes in oil, plus 1 tbsp flavoured oil
- 30g salted ricotta, coarsely grated
- A handful of dill, fronds picked
Method
Cut the potatoes into 2-3cm slices or chunks and put in a medium-large saucepan. Cover completely with cold water and add lots of salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer until tender – around 12 mins. Drain through a colander.
Meanwhile, slice the fennel as finely as you can, ideally using a mandolin. Transfer this to a large mixing bowl. Add a generous pinch of salt. Toss and set aside for 5 mins. After that time, compress and drain away any liquid.
While the fennel is being salted, bash each of the olives with the bottom of a mug. Discard the stones, then roughly chop the olives and the sundried tomatoes.
Once the fennel has been drained, add the chopped olives and tomatoes, scraping any oils from chopping board. Add another tablespoon of oil from the tomato jar plus the vinegar. Mix well.
Once the potatoes are cooked and drained, let them cool for 5-6 mins, then carefully stir them through the fennel and other bits. Pick the dill fronds into the bowl. Add the grated ricotta plus a generous grind of black pepper and mix again. Add a little flaky salt (noting the saltiness of the olives and ricotta), dill or vinegar, to taste.
Image: Stuart Ovenden