I love new potato season and I always boil double the amount I need so that I have cold leftover potatoes to make this amazing crispy new potato dish. This one has parmesan crusted potatoes served with asparagus, pea shoots and buffalo mozzarella then drizzled in an out of this world anchovy and parsley dressing.

Before you say, “I don’t like anchovies” I beg you to reconsider and try this because all you get is the salty umami of the anchovies against a bright lemon and parsley dressing. Not a hint of fish anywhere. You can switch the pea shoots for rocket or watercress but I think the asparagus brings a structure and substance that makes the whole thing a dish in its own right. I will serve this as a lunch or as a side dish alongside baked salmon or chicken thighs. It’s beautiful, hearty and really straight forward to make.

Leftover new potatoes become the crispy heart of this dish

INGREDIENTS
500g cooked and cooled new potatoes
150g asparagus
knob of butter
30g watercress or pea shoots or rocket
olive oil
1 or 2 balls of buffalo mozzarella
optional: chive flowers

for the crust
40g parmesan
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp paprika

for the oil
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp paprika

for the dressing
1 tin anchovies including oil
8g fresh parsley
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp cold water
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp creme fraiche
juice of half a lemon

• Cut a circle of greaseproof paper the same size as your large frying pan and spray or brush with a little oil.
• Grate the parmesan over the greaseproof then scatter over 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp dried parsley and 1/4 paprika to flavour the crust.
• Place the cold potatoes on top of the cheese and crush using a glass to about 1cm depth.
• Mix together the oil flavours then brush onto the top of the potatoes.
• Cook over a medium heat so that the cheese doesn’t burn. It should take about 1-8 minutes for the cheese to melt and the potatoes to brown.

• While the potatoes are cooking, add the dressing ingredients to a small blender (I use my nutribullet) and blitz to a smooth dressing.
• Taste the dressing and adjust with more lemon juice if it needs more zing. Add more water if the dressing is too thick.
• Once the potatoes are cooked on the crust side, slide a plate underneath the greaseproof to support the potatoes then place the frying pan on top and flip so that the un-cooked side of the potatoes is now in the pan.
• While the second side of the potatoes is cooking, place the trimmed asparagus into a frying pan. Melt the butter and sprinkle with a little sea salt then place a lid on top and cook for about 4-5 minutes (shaking the pan occasionally).
• Slide the potatoes onto a serving dish then build up the plate with alternating asparagus, torn pieces of buffalo mozzarella and salad leaves then drizzle everything with the dressing and finish with chive flowers.