It was the last Sunday in August. The day before the Farmers market was in the neighbourhood and I got my hands on red onions so fresh they still thrived in their soil just one day ago.
At one of the other stands they had the most beautiful violet new potatoes. They were troll potatoes still covered in soil to protect them and to remind us of their origin. From my local fruit and vegetable store I had bought dill umbrellas for my pickled cucumbers and a thick bunch of chives.
“Wealth eats it with butter, poverty dips it into a little salt, Isak savoured it with sour cream on Sundays. The blessed and bold potato!”
The quotes are from “Growth of the soil” by Knut Hamsun.
Potato salad with chives, red onions and celery.
Potato salad and pickled cucumber.
Last Sunday in August. Summer still.
New Potato salad (makes 3–4)
12 new potatoes
5 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
2 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 small red onion
2 celery sticks
chives
salt and pepper
dill umbrella (optional)
1. Boil the new potatoes with their skin on until just cooked. Allow to cool for half an hour.
2. Mix olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add finely chopped red onions and small cubes of celery sticks.
3. Divide the smallest potatoes into two and the biggest potatoes into three. Carefully add to the bowl without crushing the potatoes. Add a generous amount of chopped chives. Garnish with dill umbrellas.