Samphire and New Potato Salad

When we traveled along the Aegean last September I could not get enough of samphire (deniz börülcesi) while my Russian mom insisted on potatoes in every meal we cooked. She parboiled them first and then pan-fried in olive oil to create a cozy crust. A few meze (with the compulsory samphire), grilled wild sea bass and the mom’s potatoes have become the dinner we cooked many times on that trip.

I don’t know why the idea of getting samphire and new potatoes to meet in a single dish did not occur to me back then. Some things take time to distill. And now I think of samphire and new potato salad as the best summer meal ever.

First first things. Samphire. I don’t know if you are familiar with the little babies, so let me tell you about them. They are a seaweed that likes thinking of itself as a soft corral with a green stem and branches. Technically, it grows om the tidal areas or rocks rather than in the sea, but nevertheless it carries the minerals that the sea is rich in.

How does it taste? Close your eyes for a second and imagine the scent of the sea. The salty crisp air that satiates your nostrils. Now imagine you are to swallow that smell in all its richness - here you go, that’s how samphire tastes. It is succulent and salty, but the smooth texture of the cooked samphire balances it bold taste. Which makes it an excellent salad ingredient.

Here in Turkey, we think of samphire as a lone ranger and prepare it without fuss. We cook it till soft, strip the green “clothes” off the woody base and dress with a simple vinaigrette. Starting late spring you will find many Istanbul fish restaurants serving samphire this exact way.

Eating this seaweed always leaves me with a “feel good” sensation, and after some research I discovered why. Samphire aids digestion and removes gas, helps cleanse toxins and aids the liver, milt and kidneys. It is also a good source of vitamin C and rich in iodine that supports the thyroid function. Finally, samphire is a valuable mineral deposit featuring iron, calcium and magnesium phosphorus, calcium, silica, zinc and manganese.

Now, as I have properly introduced samphire, it’s time to talk about the great salad. It’s a gorgeous one-dish summer meal. It has got enough substance to be filling (new potatoes) and yet not heavy (samphire). It has got interesting textures going on - think smooth samphire and crunchy roasted pumpkin seeds. It boasts a thoughtful balance of colors pleasing for the eyes (and this is where the digestion really starts). And finally, it comforts you (potatoes) and teases (pomegranate ginger-garlic vinaigrette) at the same time.

Pomegranate molasses, a darling of every Turkish pantry, is my most favorite way to add acidity to a salad dressing. Combined with olive oil and garlic it still sounds convincingly Turkish, but the addition of minced ginger gives the dressing an Asian twist. All of a sudden the pomegranate molasses turns into the tamarind paste, tart and a tad sweet, and the whole dressing affair plus the spring onions become an Asian forte in this salad.

Samphire and New Potato Salad

You can boil the potatoes and samphire, toast the pumpkin seeds as well as make the vinaigrette ahead and assemble the salad right before serving.

Serves 2 as a main (or 4 as a side)

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min

Ingredients

1 bunch (about 250 g) samphire
1/4 cup finely sliced spring onions
6 small (about 360 g) new potatoes, well scrubbed, skins on, quartered
1.5 tbsp olive oil, to saute potatoes
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

For potato stock:
4 cups water
1 tsp olive oil
2 bay leaves
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp fine sea salt

For pomegranate vinaigrette:
1 cm (1/2 inch) ginger root, peeled
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook samphire: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Rinse the soil off the samphire roots and place the seaweed in the boiling water. Cook for about 10 min, or until you can easily peel it (see further). Transfer the boiled samphire to a colander, rinse with cold water and drain. Samphire has got a woody spine that needs to be removed, else it’s as inconvenient to eat as the stringy bean pods. Holding each seaweed plant by its root pull the green parts off the white stem and discard the stems.

Cook potatoes: Combine the water, olive oil, bay leaves, black pepper and sea salt in a medium cooking pot. Bring to a boil. Next add the quartered new potatoes, dial the heat down and simmer covered for 10 min, or until the potatoes are almost cooked, but still retain a crunch (else they will not keep the shape while sauteing). Warm 1.5 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet and saute the potatoes for a couple of minutes. Once the potatoes develop a nice crust on one side toss the pan and continue cooking potatoes for a few more minutes, until nice and golden.

Toast pumpkin seeds: In a small dry pan toast the pumpkin seeds on the low heat. Toss the pan a few times to get some nice golden spots on the seeds. Set aside.

Make pomegranate vinaigrette: Mince the ginger as fine as you can. Mince the garlic too, sprinkle with a generous pinch of coarse sea salt and smash it into a paste with the blade of your chef’s knife kept parallel to the cutting board. Combine the minced ginger, garlic paste, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, fine sea salt and black pepper in a small jar, close with a lid and energetically shake 7-10 times to make the vinaigrette.

Assemble salad: Transfer the sauteed potatoes to a serving dish, arrange the cooked samphire around it, sprinkle with the spring onion and toasted pumpkin seeds and finally, drizzle with the pomegranate vinaigrette. Serve immediately.