Festive Roast Potato Salad: Christmas leftovers

We had a lot of leftover roast potatoes after Christmas.  They are always excellent when reheated as a side dish but are also halfway to lots more great meals.  In the Twixmas days between Christmas and New Years Day, leftovers are great when energy is low as the life morphs from crazy to lazy.  I had just about enough energy on one of these days to put together a roast potato salad with whatever was in the kitchen.  It was so good it is worth sharing!

One of the joys of Christmas are the crisp golden roast potatoes on the plate of a festive roast dinner.  We always have heaps and there are often leftovers.  Potatoes are so versatile because they can be enjoyed so many ways but there are times their texture is not always so soft and pillowy - one is when it is cooked, frozen and thawed, and another is when they are chilled after roasting.  A cold roast potato can be sad but is also easily resurrected by returning to the oven or, in many kitchens these days, the airfryer.

This was my first time air frying leftover roast potatoes and I was delighted with the result.  While they were heating, I burrowed about the fridge for bits of pieces that were in the fridge after Christmas - celery, pecans, dried cranberries and some pickled red onion.  I also heated some peas from the freezer because I love peas and they are always so good with a roast dinner.

I wanted a creamy salad which is easier to start with a mayonnaise but tastes better when mixed with some yoghurt, mustard and lemon juice.  

By the time I made the salad there were not many Christmas dinner leftovers in the fridge.  If I had had any nut roast left I would have chopped up some to add.  I would love to have chopped up some of the lovely spiced roasted carrots or pigs in blankets that Sylvia made or even, if we were in the Northern Hemisphere, I would add some seasonal brussels sprouts.  

I have written out a recipe below based on what I did but it is not a recipe that will adapt to your kitchen.  You could use whatever is about.  It is the sort of salad you can whip up quickly and then return to reading your book in a peaceful house.  Leftovers are great in salads.  They are such a wonderful way to get through Twixmas in an Aussie summer without needing much energy at all.

More recipes to use up leftover roast potatoes on Green Gourmet Giraffe:

• Cabbage and potato with parmesan (gf) 
• Fontina onion and potato tart  
• Patatas bravas (gf, v)
• Roast potato and rosemary bread (v)  
• Roasted potato salad with black olives and greens (gf, v) 
• Tortilla de patatas (Spanish potato omelette) (gf, v)  
• Vegan bubble and squeak frittata (gf, v) 
  
  

Festive Roast Potato Salad
An original recipe by Green Gourmet Giraffe
Serves 2 as a lunch

Roast potatoes (about 16 pieces or from 4 medium potatoes)
2 chunks roast pumpkins diced (optional)
1/2 to 1 cup peas, cooked
1-2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
1-2 tbsp pickled red onions, sliced
1-2 tbsp pecans, chopped
1-2 tbsp dried cranberries
1 tsp capers
handful rocket

Dressing:

2-4 tbsp yoghurt
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp mayo
1 tsp seeded mustard
seasoning

If you are using leftover roast potatoes, first heat them either in the oven or airfryer until hot and crisp - about 15-20 minutes on a medium high heat.  (Include any leftover roast pumpkin in this reheating if you are using it.)

Make the dressing by stirring the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.  Season to taste.

Place salad ingredients, except the rocket, in a medium to large bowl.  Pour in dressing and mix together until everything is well coated.  Add rocket and toss a couple of times.  Serve while potatoes are warm. 

On the stereo:
The Milk-Eyed Mender: Joanna Newsome