Crispy potato salad (salpicao)

This is one of the most popular salads in Brazil. Usually it’s made with ham and chicken, but this version uses smoked chicken breast. It’s an unusual combination of ingredients, but it’s incredibly tasty.

• serves

  6

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 180 g frozen corn kernels
• 100 g (⅔ cup) frozen minted peas
• rice bran oil or sunflower oil for deep frying
• 350 g potatoes, julienned
• 200 g smoked chicken breast, shredded
• 2 carrots, shredded
• ½ red onion, finely diced
• 100 g pitted green olives, finely diced
• 60 g (½ cup) raisins
• 125 g (½ cup) whole-egg mayonnaise
• 30 g chives, chopped
• 30 g parsley, chopped

Instructions

Blanch the corn and peas in boiling water, then drain and set aside.

Heat about 3 cm (1¼ in) of oil in a deep heavybased frying pan to 190°C, or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil turns golden brown in 10 seconds. Pat the potatoes dry with paper towel, then cook in the hot oil for 5 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Remove the potatoes using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Put the potatoes, corn, peas, chicken, carrots, apple, onion, olives, raisins and mayonnaise in a large bowl. Mix until well combined. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Transfer the salad to a serving dish and sprinkle with the chives and parsley. Serve immediately, while the potatoes are still crispy.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.