Supper Club: Oregano-infused potato salad with fennel and leeks

Potatoes have had a bad rep over the years. Sure, they are a bit carby, but cold potatoes are rather spectacular. You see, cold potatoes contain lots of starch… which is amazing for your gut. And a healthy gut means clear skin, so let’s get munching on those spuds – yum!

Oregano-Infused Potato Salad with Fennel and Leeks
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 leeks, trimmed
  
• 1 tbsp avocado oil or butter
  
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  
• 400g Jersey Royals
  
• 50ml veggie or chicken stock, just boiled
  
• sprig of fresh oregano, leaves picked and chopped
  
• 100g rocket
  
• 1 fennel bulb
  
• 2 spring onions
  
• 30g walnuts, roughly chopped
  
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Finely chop the leeks into thin slivers. Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the leeks with a pinch of salt and pepper for 20 minutes, until golden and caramelised.
2. While the leeks are cooking, boil the potatoes in a pot of simmering salted water for 20-25 minutes until tender. Drain them and slice them in half, then put them back into the same pot you cooked them in. Pour over the hot stock and add the oregano and a pinch of salt. Leave while you prep the rest of the salad.
3. Place the rocket in a bowl. Thinly slice the fennel with a mandolin into fine ribbons and add to the rocket, then tip in the cooked leeks and potatoes. Finely chop the spring onions and throw them over the salad, along with the nuts, parsley, a big pinch of salt and the olive oil. Toss and serve.

Extracted from A Year of Beautiful Eating by Madeleine Shaw (Trapeze).