I think we are at
about the middle of the New Potato season and, of course, salad season in the
UK so I thought I’d give some ideas for enjoying potato salads.
New
potatoes are ideal candidates for salad as they have a waxy texture (and
therefore don’t fall apart) and their skin is tender so there is no need to
peel them, indeed doing so would detract from the dish.
Some suggestions ...
~ Add some flavouring when cooking the
potatoes – mint leaves, whole cloves of garlic (which can then be mashed into
the dressing) or whole spices for instance.
~ It is a good idea to add some of the dressing
to the warm potatoes or at least sprinkle with a tablespoon or two of cider or
white vinegar and then finish dressing shortly before serving. This will be
absorbed and make the salad even deliciouser that if dressed cold.
~ For more of a main course salad add cooked
chicken or chorizo or bacon bits or perhaps some smoked fish. In the latter case the addition of whole
grain mustard to the dressing would be beneficial.
Mayonnaise Ideas ...
~ Mayonnaise can be lightened with a little
yogurt, crème fraiche or sour cream and flavoured with garlic, herbs, spices
etc. according to your fancy and the other dishes in the meal.
~ Include something crunchy – thin slices of
celery, red onion or radish for instance.
~ A very simple but impressive dressing is
made by puréeing a bunch of spring onions OR watercress with the mayonnaise.
~ Classic American potato salad is drizzled with vinegar and contains celery, red onion, pickle (NB. in America “pickle” refers only to a cucumber that's been pickled as in dill pickle or sweet pickle and has nothing to do with Piccalilli or Branston etc.) and, crucially, boiled eggs. In fact, once or twice when feeding Americans, I have been excoriated for not included boiled egg in potato salad as if such a thing is unthinkable which, of course, it is not!
Vinaigrettes ...
Potato salads dressed
with vinaigrette are equally as good as mayonnaise based salads and are lovely served
warm. For instance ...
Warm Potato Salad with Fresh Herb Vinaigrette
serves 4
700g new potatoes - washed but not peeled
120ml good olive oil
2 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
120ml good olive oil
2 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
~ If the potatoes are large cut them into
attractive bit sized pieces.
~ Cook the potatoes in gently boiling water for about 15 minutes till tender.
~ Meanwhile whisk together the rest of the above ingredients
~ Drain the potatoes, cool for a few minutes and then toss gently with the dressing and set aside for about half an hour.
~ Cook the potatoes in gently boiling water for about 15 minutes till tender.
~ Meanwhile whisk together the rest of the above ingredients
~ Drain the potatoes, cool for a few minutes and then toss gently with the dressing and set aside for about half an hour.
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 finely chopped shallot
a small handful of chopped parsley
a small bunch of chives.
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 finely chopped shallot
a small handful of chopped parsley
a small bunch of chives.
~ When the half hour is up gently stir this
through the potatoes and serve.
If making
ahead just re-warm the salad slightly when serving.
Kartoffelsalat - German Potato Salad
700g
new potatoes – washed but not peeled
4 rashers smoked bacon
1 small red onion, diced
60ml cider or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons sugar
salt and pepper to taste
small bunch fresh parsley – chopped
4 rashers smoked bacon
1 small red onion, diced
60ml cider or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons sugar
salt and pepper to taste
small bunch fresh parsley – chopped
~ Prepare
and cook the potatoes as above.
~ Dice the bacon and fry till browned and crisp (you may need to add a drizzle of oil to the pan depending on what cut of bacon you are using).
~ Remove and set aside the bacon and add the onions to the residual fat in the pan.
~ Cook the onions till softening and starting to brown.
~ Add the remaining ingredients to the pan, bring to a boil.
~ Add the cooked potatoes to the pan together with half the bacon and half the parsley and when all heated through turn off the heat.
~ Serve warm garnished with the other half of the bacon and the parsley.
~ Dice the bacon and fry till browned and crisp (you may need to add a drizzle of oil to the pan depending on what cut of bacon you are using).
~ Remove and set aside the bacon and add the onions to the residual fat in the pan.
~ Cook the onions till softening and starting to brown.
~ Add the remaining ingredients to the pan, bring to a boil.
~ Add the cooked potatoes to the pan together with half the bacon and half the parsley and when all heated through turn off the heat.
~ Serve warm garnished with the other half of the bacon and the parsley.
Inspired by writing
this post have just had a lovely lunch of smoked salmon with new potatoes in a
lemon and chive dressing with just a touch of Thai chilli sweet sauce.
Honey Mustard Dressing
This final recipe combines
mayonnaise and vinaigrette to make a perfect dressing for potato salad to serve
with ham.
60ml olive oil
60ml cider vinegar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons of honey
60ml cider vinegar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons of honey
~ Whisk all the ingredients together, taste
and season and use to dress warm new potatoes.
Now it's your turn – make the potato salad of your dreams!
