Potato, egg and haricot vert salad with rocket pesto
I would call this the little cousin of Niçoise salad. It is perfect as it is, but fish can always be added if you want to take it up a notch. The rocket pesto can be used on a number of different things – not just salad.
Wine notes: the peppery tang of rocket and the richness of the eggs calls for a weightier wine, like Godello Vino de Altura 2022 from Bodegas Gancedo in Spain’s Bierzo region. With notes of citrus and pears and sufficient body, it would go just as well with the Caesar salad.
Salads can be the most layered and flavourful of dishes. I start with a strong base – crunchy vegetables or leaves – then add a soft element, such as mozzarella or boiled egg. Next, I add fresh herbs for a bright bite and, lastly, the perfect dressing, which marries acid with fat. I always finish with flaked sea salt and a grind of black pepper. These recipes are good enough to be their own meal. Use them as a guide and change or add anything as your heart desires. With five good dressings in your back pocket, there is very little you cannot achieve in the kitchen.
