Put Jersey Royals front and centre in this moreish crispy potato and bacon ceaser salad. The dish is hearty enough to serve as a main and makes a crowd-pleasing side. Although not included in this recipe, you could cook a chicken breast and add shredded chicken to the salad.

Ready in: 1 hour 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1kg Jersey Royals
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
3 tbsp olive oil
60g Parmesan, finely grated
2 tbsp thyme leaves
1 lemon – all the zest and 1 tbsp juice
8 smoked streaky bacon rashers
4 tbsp mayonnaise
4 tbsp natural yogurt
1 tsp anchovy paste
2 Romaine lettuce, chopped

Method

1. Wash the potatoes to remove any dirt and cut in half, if large, so they are all equal size. Place in a large pan and cover with water, then bring to the boil and simmer for around 15 minutes. Once tender, drain and set aside.

2. While the potatoes are cooking, mix 2 of the crushed garlic cloves with the olive oil and season well.

3. Preheat the oven to 220C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

4. Place the cooked potatoes on the baking trays and use the base of a glass to crush each potato to around 2.5cm thick. Brush with the garlic oil on both sides and season. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, turning halfway.

5. In a bowl, mix together 30g cheese with the thyme and lemon zest and scatter over the potatoes. Place the bacon on another baking tray and cook (along with the potatoes) for 20-25 minutes, turning the bacon halfway. Both the bacon and potatoes should be crispy.

6. Mix the remaining cheese and garlic together in a small bowl along with the lemon juice, mayonnaise, yogurt and anchovy paste then season well. Add a splash of water, if needed, to make a spoonable dressing. Roughly chop the bacon.

7. Arrange the lettuce on a large platter or bowl and drizzle over half the dressing. Arrange the crispy potatoes and bacon on top, followed by the remaining dressing then serve.

Ingredient of the Week: Jersey Royals

Jersey Royals are a variety of new potato and have been grown in Jersey for nearly 150 years. Most of the crop is hand harvested and, at the peak of their season in May, farmers work from dusk to dawn so the potatoes reach the shelves as fresh as possible. During this time, up to 1000 tonnes of Jersey Royals can be shipped daily, with the majority of the production exported to the UK.