Jack Monroe x ODDBOX: Potato salad with asparagus, pickled cucumber and mustard avocado dressing
To celebrate the launch of Jack Monroe’s new book "Good Food for Bad Days" on the 28th of May, we've teamed up with the chef, food writer, and journalist herself to create a deliciously summery ODDBOX recipe, and give you all a chance to win her latest book, as well as other amazing books in her range plus 2 x Med Fruit & Veg Boxes!
- For details on how to enter our competition head over to our Instagram. (UPATE: now closed).
- Want more delicious recipes from Jack? Read more in her latest book, ‘Good Food For Bad Days’ or head over to her website for more inspiration!
“Now this sounds incredibly fancy, but it just so happens to be what I got in my Oddbox this week! Six tiny, tiny avocados, some chunky asparagus, a knobbly cucumber and a few varieties of assorted small potatoes. You can swap the asparagus for any green veg, like thinly cut broccoli or tenderstem, green beans, frozen peas, etc. The pickled cucumber can be replaced with any kind of pickle, including readymade pickles in a jar, or cornichons. And as for the dressing - I wanted a quick use for some of those avos, and using them as a creamy dressing base keeps this potato salad vegan, but you can switch them out for your favourite mayo, or plain yoghurt or sour cream instead. The avo mustard dressing also works well on pasta salads, hot or cold, and as a dip for chopped veggies, crisps, or crusty bread”. - Jack
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
Quick pickled cucumber:
1 large Cucumber
160 ml Vinegar (any)
160 ml Water
80 ml Vegetable oil (or oil of your choice)
Salt (geners pinch)
chilli flakes (to you liking) / Chilli powder
Black pepper (plenty of)
For the avocado mustard dressing:
1 large Avocado
1½ tsp Mustard (any kind, to taste)
60 ml Light cooking oil, to loosen, or fat free vinaigrette dressing
Lemon juice (or light vinegar, to prevent discolouration)
For the potato salad:
600 g Potatoes
1 large Onion
a bunch of Asparagus (or 150g of green beans or similar)
4 tbsp Pickled cucumber
7 tbsp Avocado mustard dressing (to taste)
Mixed salad leaves (a bag or approx 120g)
Recipe:
- First make your cucumber pickle and avocado dressing. For the pickle, bring the water and vinegar to the boil with the salt and chilli. Very finely slice your cucumber and pop into a large clean or sterile jar. When the liquid is hot, pour over the cucumber, and add the oil, chilli and salt. Screw the lid on tight and shake gently, then set to one side.
- For the dressing, peel and de-stone your avocado. Mash well with a fork, mixing in the oil and mustard, until as smooth as you can get it. If you have a small bullet blender, it’s a moment’s work, but it’s feasible without. Stir through the lemon or vinegar, and set aside.
- No need to peel your potatoes, just give them a good scrub with a brush under cold water to lift off any soil. Quarter them, and then halve any big bits, and pop into a saucepan. Cover with cold water and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, or until tender.
- Chop your asparagus and drop it into the pan for the last minute or two of simmering.
- Finely slice your onions. Drain the potatoes and asparagus and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the onions, and the pickled cucumber. Spoon over the dressing, and shake the bowl gently to coat everything. Fold in the salad leaves just before serving, and finish with extra chilli or plenty of black pepper.
