Monday, January 08, 2007

Amazing potato and horseradish salad with fine herbs and bresaola

If I sound a little odd, it's because I just did my first day's work of 2007 and, coupled with ongoing tooth infection, it has drained me completely. I had forgotten that life was about more than curling up with a novel and hitting the shops; I had also underestimated the extent to which my antibiotics are tiring me out. Moan over, but do understand if I don't quite make sense here; I am trying.

I made the most of yesterday and made no less than three dishes from Jamie's book; I am far too dopey to blog them all now, so I will start with the first I made, for lunch, partly because I wanted to use the bresaola I bought in Edinburgh the other day. Bresaola, as most people will know, is air-dried and aged salted beef fillet; supermarkets tend to sell ropey versions of it packaged up with salami and prosciutto in their delicatessen sections. I bought this in Edinburgh and had been agitating to try it; I also had some Pink Fir Apple potatoes, bought from our farm shop but originating from Carroll's Heritage potatoes which are based in the north-east, a specialist potato grower which also sells lovely Yukon Gold, Salad Blue, and so on. I like the colour and nobbliness of Pink Fir Apple, which is a waxy potato, ideal for salads; although Jamie's recipe probably implied Jersey Royals, I knew these would substitute beautifully. Fortuitously I also had some creme fraiche to use up, so this recipe was effectively a store-cupboard lunch.

To prepare the salad: scrub and boil new (or waxy) potatoes until cooked; drain and cool for 5 minutes while you get on with the rest of the salad. This means mixing lemon juice withsalt, pepper, celery, parsley and grated horseradish (um, here I cheated - didn't have any fresh horseradish to hand so used jarred horseradish sauce... oops) and mix in creme fraiche. While they are still hot, halve or quarter the potatoes and add to the bowl, toss together, taste, season if necessary.

Arrange slices of bresaola in a circle on each plate, pile the salad in the middle and then draw up the edges of the meat into the middle; sprinkle over tarragon and celery leaves, drizzle with olive oil and serve. Except that I left the meat in its retro circle because I liked how it looked - I know, sad!


This was a fantastically flavoursome lunch and definitely one to make again (Jamie suggests you can also use cold roast beef... yum). It was surprisingly delicate for such a butch-sounding salad and I will definitely make it again; it's one you could serve people staying with you too, because it is relaxed but lovely and the sort of thing most people would dive into happily. Well, we did anyway!

Like the vegetables, the salads in this book have been a revelation - brilliant recipes to keep and come back to. I would make this potato salad even without the beef - I am not very keen on potatoes swimming in mayonnaise but this horseradish cream is delicious indeed, and it does match beautifully with the potatoes and the beef, in a sort of salady remake of roast beef with horseradish sauce and roast potatoes.

15 comments:

Lisa said...

This looks excellent! I love horseradish cream -- such zing. I feel really bad that you are still not feeling well :(. Antibiotics really do zap energy out of you, don't they? Well done for forging on -- hope you feel better soon! (At least you know you're eating healthy & nutritional fare.)

Kathryn said...

Thanks Lisa. It was really good! And horseradish wakes you up too, which helps.

I'm fine apart from the tooth - the pain has spread upwards now; hopefully the antibiotics'll zap it soon!

Kathryn x

julie said...

The salad looks wonderful, I may have to try it;)

I hope you feel better soon!

Jxx

Freya said...

Hi Kathryn! The salad does look wonderful! ANything with potatoes and I'm there! I tried some shop bought Bresaola and it was awful, like old boot leather, but if it meant going up to V & C in Scotland to try some proper stuff, I'd muster up the enthusiasm to go...not to difficult!!
Well done for keeping up with it all, despite feeling so poorly! You are a real trooper!
Freya x

Kathryn said...

Thanks Julie - it is really good!

Freya - I know what you mean about the boot leather.

Sadly I am no trooper!!! I am just a bit, ahem, greedy. And I love to cook like I love to read. Antibiotics continue; fingers crossed I am soon normal again!!!
Thanks for all your support ladies.
Kathryn

litlove said...

Poor you! You are having such a nightmare time with your teeth, and dentist's antibiotics are often more evil than doctor's ones (because the mouth is such a germ zone). I am thinking of you and still utterly fascinated by your cooking. Andrew reads over my shoulder and just sighs 'Lucky, lucky, Simon....'

Anonymous said...

It's wonderful that you are getting thoughts from this piece of writing as well as from our argument made at this time.

Also visit my web site ... Bet Online

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about credit sg. Regards

My blog post lending money

Anonymous said...

Greetings! Very helpful advice within this post!
It's the little changes which will make the greatest changes. Thanks for sharing!

my weblog :: Articlerich.Com

Anonymous said...

That is really interesting, You are an overly professional blogger.
I have joined your feed and look forward to
searching for extra of your wonderful post. Also, I have shared your site in my social networks

Feel free to visit my webpage ... Foreigner Loan

Anonymous said...

Wow, this piece of writing is pleasant, my younger sister is analyzing these things, thus I am going
to inform her.

Here is my blog ... http://www.basearticles.com/

Anonymous said...

I have learn some good stuff here. Certainly price bookmarking for revisiting.
I surprise how much effort you place to make this type
of excellent informative web site.

Here is my web blog - Www.Basicbrandstudios.Com

Anonymous said...

It is perfect time to make some plans for the future and it is time to be happy.

I've read this post and if I could I want to suggest you few interesting things or advice. Maybe you can write next articles referring to this article. I want to read more things about it!

Check out my weblog - loan.ezinemark.com

Anonymous said...

I am really impressed with your writing skills and
also with the format for your blog. Is this a paid subject or did you customize it yourself?
Either way stay up the nice high quality writing, it's uncommon to see a nice blog like this one today..

my weblog: www.digitaldividenetwork.Org

Anonymous said...

Hmm it looks like your blog ate my first comment (it was super long)
so I guess I'll just sum it up what I had written and say, I'm
thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog blogger but I'm still new to everything. Do you have any helpful hints for rookie blog writers? I'd really appreciate it.



My web page: loan Payday