New Potato and Sweet Pea Salad

Recipe by The View From the Great Island

This is a spring version of the old standby barbecue/picnic potato salad.  It uses the tiniest new potatoes you can find, and fresh garden peas.  The dressing is a lightened up half and half mayo and Greek yogurt blend.  The flavor is brilliant thanks to fresh lemon juice, fresh dill and lots of snipped chives. Have you come across Peewee potatoes?  They’re the size of large grapes!  They cook up quickly and I think they look so cute in this salad. Look for the smallest potatoes you can find.  Halve or quarter them them if they are on the larger size.  I put the salad together while the potatoes are hot so they have a chance to absorb the flavors from the dressing. Don‘t be shy with the fresh dill and chives.  The more the better. I just blanch the peas for a minute or so in boiling water to take the raw edge off.  There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that you’ve used fresh garden peas, but the blanching brings out their flavor and improves their texture and color.  The lemon juice and yogurt make a really zingy dressing, and a little mayo keeps it from being …

Ingredients

• 1 lb baby new potatoes (leave them whole if they're small enough, if not, halve or quarter them)
• 6 oz fresh garden peas (a heaping cup)
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup Greek yogurt
• juice of lemon
• handful of fresh dill
• handful of fresh chives
• salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Method

1. Whisk the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and add the fresh peas. Let cook for about a minute or two, then drain and cool the peas immediately in a bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside.
3. Cover the potatoes with water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are just tender, when you can pierce them easily with the tip of a sharp knife. Drain and add the hot potatoes to the bowl with the dressing. Toss to coat the potatoes.
4. Add the herbs, cooled peas, and salt and pepper to taste. Don't skimp on the herbs or the salt and pepper. Toss well.
5. Cover and refrigerate until very cold. Check the seasonings and toss again lightly just before serving.

View the recipe instructions at The View From the Great Island