potato salad with pomegranate and avocado dressing

Blog-checking lines: Jami Sorrento was our June Daring Cooks hostess and she chose to challenge us to celebrate the humble spud by making a delicious and healthy potato salad. The Daring Cooks Potato Salad Challenge was sponsored by the nice people at the United States Potato Board, who awarded prizes to the top 3 most creative and healthy potato salads. A medium-size (5.3 ounce) potato has 110 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium and includes nearly half your daily value of vitamin C and has more potassium than a banana!

When I read what June's challenge was, I can't say I was exactly thrilled. Potato salad? Herrrrm.... That doesn't sound very daring. In fact, I put off thinking about ideas and put it off and put it off until, suddenly, it was the 14th and I hadn't thought of some genius healthy potato salad! So, like the champion I am, I gave it up and thought that was the end of it.

100% New Zealand grown and made avocado oil (represent) and Middle Eastern Pomegranate Molasses

That was until today, when my tutor mentioned he loved to make a vinaigrette using two ingredients that made it too intriguing to pass up! I've always wanted to use pomegranate molasses and avocado is super duper healthy sooo... voila! I had my daringness and my healthy potato saladness!

avocado oil on the left and pomegranate molasses on the right

Pomegranate molasses - it smells like cherry-flavoured medicine (ah, childhood memories), its thick and unctuous, it tastes like pomegranates and cherries, and its sweet but with a super sharp tang.

Avocado oil is ridiculously healthy, a gorgeous green colour, and it's tasty! It has a higher smoke point than olive oil, is higher in healthier monounsaturated fats than olive oil, is proven to lower cholesterol absorption and is cold-pressed (avoiding all of those highly processed chemical methods of oil extraction).

This warm salad is lovely with good crunch from the onion, softness from the eggs, and potatoes providing a nice backdrop to a slightly sweet, tangy, fruity vinaigrette. Daring to combine avocado and pomegranate definitely paid off! Also, I think it looks rather pretty for a potato salad :)

Potato Salad with Pomegranate and Avocado Dressing

Dressing adapted from BBC

2 large (about 1lb) all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters

2 boiled eggs (put into boiling, salted water for 8-9 minutes)

1 small red onion, peeled (to make about 1/3 cup sliced onion)

10-15 chive stems

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

6 tablespoons avocado oil

salt and pepper to taste

Put potatoes into cold, salted water (1 tablespoon of salt to 1 litre of water) and bring to a boil. Boil potatoes until cooked (15-30 minutes) then drain well.

Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and then slice from top to bottom. Cut onion in half and then slice along with the rings in the onion, creating thin strips (not chunks). Chop the chives into millions of teeny, thin rounds.

Whisk together pomegranate molasses and vinegar. Pour in avocado oil and whisk. Season with salt and pepper.

Put still warm potatoes into a medium bowl and roughly mash with a fork, creating a mix of small bits and chunky bits. Toss with eggs, onion, and chives. Stir through the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper.