June is National Fruit and Vegetable month. Which means that we should all try to eat more vegetables on the daily. After all, there are plenty of good reasons to eat more greens – but only so many leafy salads one can consume before tiring of them. So take a queue from the Poles and whip up a vegetable salad unlike other vegetable salads – the Sałatka Jarzynowa (which literally means “vegetable salad”).
The Sałatka Jarzynowa is a traditional Polish side dish usually served at weddings or during the holidays. Every family has their own recipe, but it typically always consists of potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, some sort of vegetable, and mayonnaise.
In fact, a more appropriate name might be “potato salad with some added green stuff,” but hey – why argue? Botanically speaking, potatoes are vegetables. Plus, as long as you eat them skin-on, potatoes are full of vitamin C, fiber, and other key nutrients that are beneficial to our general health. Just don’t think too much about the fact that they come delivered in a bath of mayonnaise.
Our version is inspired by a recent trip to the farmer’s market. The summer harvest is starting to bloom and we couldn’t be more excited. The peas and asparagus can be substituted for just about any other non-leafy green – green beans and celery for instance. And if you must… plain yogurt makes an acceptable substitute for the mayonnaise.
Ingredients
1 lb asparagus, trimmed
1 lb spring potatoes
1/2 lb fresh peas, shelled
1 Tbsp chopped chives
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 hard-boiled eggs, diced
1 dill pickle, dice
salt and pepper to taste
1. Cut asparagus into 1/2 inch pieces. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add peas and asparagus, and simmer for about 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked vegetables to a large bowl of ice water. Drain and set aside.
2. Return the same pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, cool slightly, and dice into 1/2 inch cubes.
3. To make the dressing, combine mayonnaise, chives, and salt and pepper in a small bowl.
4. Place asparagus, peas, potatoes, eggs, and pickles in a large bowl, add dressing, and toss to combine.
5. Place in a bowl and refrigerate at least 3 to 4 hours before serving.