This salad has everything you want from a summer dish. It’s light yet satisfying thanks to the addition of purple potato carbs. It’s flavor-packed, and its explosion of fresh aromatic herbs will make your belly and your soul happy. It looks deliciously gorgeous on the plate. Last but not least, it contains lesser used ingredients which are sure to stir up curiosity. Aloha peppers have stolen my heart – and I know they’ll steal yours too π
Even though they are more expensive than their mono-color bell pepper cousins (judging from the prices I found at my local grocery store anyway), Aloha peppers are definitely worth the investment, in my opinion. Their bright colors make them a very attractive salad ingredient, while their delicate sweet flavor and assertive crunchiness are just what you need in a light summer dish.
Start off the salad by prepping the purple potatoes: cut in halves or quarters (depending on the size of the potatoes), drench in a mixture of olive oil and dried oregano…
…and then bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until moist and soft when pierced with a fork. Take the potatoes out of the oven and set aside to cool.
For the dressing you need the fronds of one fennel, as well as a nice assortment of whatever fresh herbs you have in your garden.
I used fennel fronds as well as parsley and dill, and paired them up with extra virgin olive oil and the juice of two limes.
This salad also requires fresh mozzarella. I use Caputo Cheese cigliegini, but you can slice a big mozzarella ball or some ovolini instead.
I always end up using cherry tomatoes in my salads. They are so decorative!
Toss the ingredients with the dressing until well combined. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve as an accompaniment to a main dish or on its own, with crusty bread on the side.
This salad takes some time to assemble, but the end result is so worth it! Refreshing and crisp, the Aloha peppers shine through both literally and figuratively, while the meaty purple potatoes add just enough body and carb-packed goodness to make this dish a bona fide lunch on its own. Bursting with flavor, the cherry tomatoes are generous thirst-quenchers, and if you’re looking for delicate licorice end notes, you’ve got them with the inclusion of the fennel fronds. Is this the quintessential summer on a plate? You bet π
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 45 minutes |
| Servings |
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- 1 lb purple potatoes
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (for the potatoes)
- 1/2 tbsp dry oregano (for the potatoes)
- 1/2 tbsp kosher salt (for the potatoes)
- 1 tsp ground pepper (for the potatoes)
- 2 medium Aloha peppers
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 sprigs green onion
- 1 lb cigliegini or any other fresh mozzarella, sliced if necessary
- Fronds of one fennel
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped dill
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Juice from two limes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 350F. Put the oil, oregano, salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix well. Wash the purple potatoes and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut the potatoes in halves or quarters (depending on the size of the potatoes) and drench in the mixture of olive oil and dried oregano. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and place the potato pieces on it. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until moist and soft when pierced with a fork. Take the potatoes out of the oven and set aside to cool.
- Make the dressing by mixing the oil and lime juice in a small measuring jug. Add the chopped fennel fronds, parsley and dill. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Put the potatoes, cherry tomatoes and mozzarella in a big bowl. Cut the peppers widthwise and add them to the bowl. Cut the green onion and add it as well. Toss the ingredients with the dressing until well combined. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve as an accompaniment to a main dish or on its own, with crusty bread on the side.
- Enjoy!
