The Greek island of Ikaria is one of the world’s Blue Zones destinations, where people live longer and healthier lives. This potato salad recipe is eaten in the region
A Blue Zone represents a particular region where locals typically enjoy significantly longer and healthier lives compared to worldwide averages. Dan Buettner, a writer and academic, pinpointed five such locations across the globe where numerous individuals reach their centenary and where long-term conditions, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, occur less frequently, reports the Express.
The Greek isle of Ikaria stands as one of these original Blue Zones. Its inhabitants follow an eating pattern akin to the Mediterranean diet, which enjoys widespread recognition for its extensive health advantages.
The Ikarian eating regime features abundant locally cultivated vegetables, fruits, wholemeal grains, pulses, and beneficial fats, chiefly derived from olive oil. They likewise eat modest quantities of fish, dairy products, and eggs, whilst consuming minimal meat.
You’ll discover numerous carbohydrates featured on their menu, including winter potato salad, prepared from “humble ingredients”, as Dan describes in his cookbook ‘The Blue Zones Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100’.
He said: “This salad in particular combines the heartiness of potatoes (prominent in Ikaria’s variant of the Mediterranean diet) with the aromatic qualities of fresh dill and greens.”
Ingredients
- Eight cups of water
- 900g of potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters or eighths, depending on their size (waxy potatoes like Yukon gold or red potatoes work best)
- Half cup chopped fresh dill
- Half cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Three to five tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper (optional)
- Two cups of arugula (rocket leaves), chopped
- Two cups of spinach, chopped
- One large sweet onion (like Vidalia), thinly sliced
- One small head of green leaf or romaine lettuce, chopped
- One small radish, sliced (optional, for garnish)
You won’t discover creamy mayonnaise in this recipe, but instead a blend of oil and red wine vinegar.
The recipe proves straightforward to prepare in merely 25 minutes, which explains why in a previous generation, when women worked in the fields and lacked time for cooking, this quick dish would have served as a reliable option, Dan clarified.
Method
Pour eight cups of water into a saucepan and heat it on high until it boils. Once it’s boiling, add the potatoes and let them cook without a lid for about 12 minutes, or until they’re soft.
To see if they’re done, stick a fork in one; if it goes in easily, they’re ready. Drain the potatoes and let them cool down.
In a small bowl, mix together dill, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper until it’s smooth. Put the cooled potatoes in a large bowl, pour over the dressing and mix until everything is well coated.
Just before you serve it, add the rest of the ingredients, including the lettuce, and give it another good mix. If you like, you can garnish it with radishes.
