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Step 1
Get a large pot with a tight fitting lid, add the butter, 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 cup of water, a pinch of salt, 6 turns of the pepper mill and put over moderate heat till the butter has melted. Set aside.
Step 2
Peel the garlic cloves, and peel the new potatoes cutting the larger ones in two to make them all even-sized.
Add the potatoes and garlic to the pot with the melted butter, place it over moderate heat and cover it with the lid. When the water is fully evaporated and the fat begins to sizzle, turn off the heat and leave the lid slightly ajar.
Step 3
Bring another large pot with salted water to a rolling boil. Trim and snap the woody parts from the asparagus ends.
Prepare a dish of cold water to refresh the asparagus. Put the asparagus in the boiling water for 1 minute and a half, take out and refresh in cold water.
Step 4
Drain. Let the water continue boiling and gently drop the eggs in and proceed to cook for 7 minutes exactly. Refresh the cold water and keep on stand-by. When the time is up, fish out the eggs and cool them in cold water.
You should be able to peel them after a few minutes. I find that throwing them back in the water will help wash off any remaining egg shell.
Step 5
Cut the asparagus diagonally, peel the shallot and, using a mandolin, slice into thin rounds.
Step 6
In a large bowl mix together the warm potatoes and garlic, the asparagus, gently interlacing the salad with fillets of your drained anchovies.
Season generously with fleur-de-sel, lemon juice and freshly ground pepper. Add the eggs, which should be still soft and runny, on top and drizzle the salad with the remaining olive oil.
Recipe by John Gionleka, Peckham Bazaar.
Peckham Bazaar's Asparagus & Anchovy Salad
Serves 6
45 minutes
Enjoy the subtleties of cooking Greek food with this recipe that makes it much more than a simple trip to the supermarket.
It’s all about the series of small rituals from the choice of olive oil you use, to the asparagus you get from the farmers market that bring out the flavours in the food.
Don't forget the wine pairing...
John's recipe creates a richness and roundness with the potatoes (which loves a higher alchohol volume). The anchovies add pungency and boiled eggs demand fruit in abundance. This is a hearty meal with balanced richness, that matches perfectly with full-bodied white wines.
Try the Aidani from Santorini if you like a bone dry style with a maritime aromatic profile. If you like the roundness and fruit side of the dish go for Vidiano from Crete. Or for a rosé try, Alpha Estate and Ousyra.
We would suggest that you avoid full-bodied red wines with this dish, or with anchovies in particular.
If you are making asparagus on its own, its subtle and persistent aromas, is divine with our Sauvignon Blanc from Amyndeon and all fresh medium body white wines.
- Ingredients
- 1 kg new potatoes or Jersey Royals
- 1 head of garlic
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 bunch English Asparagus
- 6 fresh eggs at room temperature
- 1 jar Trikalinos marinated anchovies
- 1 banana shallot
- Fleur-de-Sel
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 fresh lemons
