Warm Salad of Herring, Beets and Baby Potatoes

This is a warm salad, you can make it in winter or summer. I bought fresh beets and boiled them, but if you want to make it simple you can just buy packaged beets which come already cooked. I recommend using fresh beets and boiling them since they have much more flavor than the packaged ones. However, this is a blog about easy everyday cooking and I understand you don't want to spend much time in the kitchen...so, it is up to you!

Also, believe it or not my children love this salad, it has simple ingredients which kids love: potatoes (who doesn't like potatoes!), beets (they have a high sugar content), and herring (which has a delicate fish flavor). Have your children try it!

As always, it is healthy and nutritious. Beets have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detox properties. Herring is a great source of Vitamin D and is loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids.

Tips: You can cook the beets and refrigerate for 2-3 days until ready to use. The potatoes will need to be cooked right before eating for best results.

WARM SALAD OF HERRING, BEETS AND BABY POTATOES

Serves 4

1 lb of baby potatoes

3 medium size beets

1 jar of herring in wine sauce (may substitute for other kind)

10 olives (any kind -pictured are kalamata and picholine olives)

a few slices of red onion

5 cornichons (chopped)

1 tablespoon of capers

1 tablespoon of chives (chopped)

1 and 1/2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

Salt

For the dressing:

3 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar of Modena

1 teaspoon of dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon of sea salt flakes

Freshly ground pepper

Zest of 1/2 lemon

Wash the beets without the greens, but leave about 5 inches of the stem. Reserve the greens for another recipe (Beet Salad Greek Style). Cover the beets with cold water in a saucepan or pressure cooker (three inches of water is enough). Do not add salt. Bring to a boil. If it is a regular saucepan it should boil at medium heat for about 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the beets. If you are using a pressure cooker, boil for 8-10 minutes. Let them cool down in a bowl without the water.

Put water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil; add a pinch of salt and the potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch rounds, and let boil at low heat for about 15 minutes (they should be tender but be careful that they don't break). With a slotted spoon transfer the potatoes to a bowl and add the olive oil and a bit of salt while the potatoes are still warm. Now you are ready to assemble your salad: potatoes should be warm and the rest of the ingredients at room temperature.

Put the potatoes at the bottom of the plate, then the beets peeled and thinly sliced, and the herring. Add the rest of the ingredients (olives, red onion, cornichons, capers and chives) and finally add the dressing.

For the dressing, put all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly with a spoon.

Ready to eat! Enjoy!

Choose beets that are firm and deep in color. The greens should appear fresh and tender.

Always use the best ingredients. Specially in salads use the best extra virgin olive oil and the best vinegar! I like to use sea salt flakes for salads.

Herring in wine sauce, my favorite!

Baby potatoes cut in rounds