Saltworker's Salad

Remove the woody parts from the glasswort and keep only the tender tops. Soak them in water for about 30 minutes to clean them and tone down their surface saltiness. Once done, drain them carefully: they should be whole, with no visible residue and still firm to the touch.

Using a sharp knife, chop the tender florets into evenly sized pieces. Keep the pieces small so the samphire can be evenly distributed throughout the salad and complement each bite without overpowering the other vegetables.

Boil the potatoes until they're tender in the center, checking for doneness with the tip of a knife. Drain them and let them cool enough to handle; they should hold their shape without falling apart, so they're easily recognizable in the salad.

Cut the boiled potatoes into small pieces and thinly slice the white onion. Remove the seeds from the tomatoes and slice them. Make even cuts so that the textures and proportions remain balanced in the final mixture.

Place the glasswort, potatoes, onion, and tomatoes in a bowl. Mix gently, lifting the vegetables rather than crushing them: the potatoes should remain firm and the tomatoes should not lose their structure too much.

Pour in the extra virgin olive oil and vinegar, then gently mix to distribute the seasoning throughout the vegetables. Taste before adding salt and adjust only if necessary, considering the residual saltiness of the glasswort.

For this variation, limit the salad to potatoes and glasswort. Prepare the mataroccu by pounding the chopped tomatoes, garlic, mint leaves, oil, and salt in a mortar until you obtain a smooth, rustic sauce. Finish with oil, vinegar, and salt, if necessary.