How to make Kirsten Gilmour’s potato salad — with a twist

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A tattie salad with a difference — not just boiled spuds with mayo! This salad is bursting with flavours and textures and features the light and zingy Mountain Cafe ranch dressing. You can precook the sweet potato and red peppers — just warm them when you’re ready to put the salad together. You can also prepare the feta the day before and leave to marinate overnight. This recipe is really good with some crispy pancetta.
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Serves 4
• 500g sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks• 4 tbsp olive oil• 1 tbsp runny honey• 2 red peppers, sliced lengthwise• 60g pine nuts• 200g feta, cut into chunks• 10 sage leaves, chopped• 1 small chilli, deseeded and finely chopped• 100g green beans, blanched and refreshed• 100g mangetout, blanched and refreshed• 80g good-quality olives• 70g rocket• 50g spinach leaves
For the ranch dressing
• 80g buttermilk, well-shaken• 60g mayonnaise• 50g sour cream• 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley• ½ tbsp finely chopped chives• 1 tsp finely chopped mint• 2 tsp white wine vinegar• 2 tsp lemon juice• ½ medium garlic clove, finely chopped
1. Make the ranch dressing, ideally the night before. Put all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk together until thick. Season to taste and put in the fridge.2. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 6. Put the sweet potato in a roasting tray and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil and the honey. Season with a wee sprinkle of salt and black pepper and mix so everything is evenly coated, then roast for 30-40 min until just tender.3. While the sweet potato is cooking, put the peppers on another tray and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil. Season and roast for 20 min until they are soft but not browned. Put the pine nuts on a small baking tray and toast in the oven for 5 min to bring out their natural oils and flavour.4. Put the feta in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of oil, the chopped sage, chilli and a little cracked black pepper. When you are ready to eat, place the still-warm sweet potato and peppers in a large bowl and add the marinated feta, toasted pine nuts, green beans, mangetout, olives, rocket and spinach. Dress the salad with as much ranch dressing as you like and season to taste. Serve with a crisp white wine and you will be in heaven.
The Mountain Cafe Cookbook by Kirsten Gilmour (£20; Kitchen Press). Buy from timesbookshop.co.uk. Discount for Times+ members.