Potato Salad

Name: Potato Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 kg (2¼ lb) waxy potatoes (Charlotte, new potatoes, red-skinned), unpeeled, cut into 3 cm chunks; 3 tbsp cider or white wine vinegar; 150 g (⅔ cup) mayonnaise, Mayonnaise or store-bought; 3 tbsp plain yogurt or sour cream; 1 tbsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard; 2 celery stalks, finely diced; 60 g (½ cup) dill pickles or cornichons, finely chopped, plus 1 tbsp brine; ½ small red onion, finely diced; 15 g (½ cup) dill, chives and parsley, chopped; fine sea salt and black pepper, about 10 g per liter for the water, plus 3 g (½ tsp)

Vinegar-soaked warm potatoes in a herby mayonnaise dressing

Serves: 6
Hands-on: 20 min
Total: 55 min
Level: Easy

The secret of a great potato salad happens in the first five minutes after draining: hot potatoes drink up a splash of vinegar and salt, so they're seasoned to the center. Then a light mayo-and-mustard dressing, crunch from celery and pickles, and plenty of fresh herbs.

Ingredients

1 kgwaxy potatoes (Charlotte, new potatoes, red-skinned) (2¼ lb)unpeeled, cut into 3 cm chunks
3 tbspcider or white wine vinegar
150 gmayonnaise (⅔ cup)Mayonnaise or store-bought
3 tbspplain yogurt or sour cream
1 tbspDijon or wholegrain mustard
2celery stalksfinely diced
60 gdill pickles or cornichons (½ cup)finely chopped, plus 1 tbsp brine
½small red onionfinely diced
15 gdill, chives and parsley (½ cup)chopped
fine sea salt and black pepperabout 10 g per liter for the water, plus 3 g (½ tsp)

Diet: Vegetarian, Gluten-free
Allergens: egg, milk, mustard, celery, sulphites

Method

Put the potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water by 3 cm and add 1% salt (10 g per liter). Bring to a boil and simmer until a knife slides in easily but they hold their shape, 10–14 minutes. 12 min
Drain well and spread on a sheet pan or wide bowl. While steaming hot, sprinkle with the vinegar and 3 g (½ tsp) salt and toss gently. Leave to cool for at least 20 minutes. 20 min
Whisk the mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard and pickle brine in a large bowl.
Add the cooled potatoes, celery, pickles, onion and most of the herbs and fold together gently.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining herbs.

Why it works

Hot potato starch is swollen and porous, so acid and salt penetrate deep inside; once potatoes cool, the starch firms (retrogrades) and seasonings only sit on the surface. Starting in cold salted water cooks them evenly from edge to center. Waxy varieties hold their shape because they have less starch and more cell-binding pectin.

Common mistakes

Dressing hot potatoes with mayonnaise: it can split and turn greasy. Vinegar hot, mayo cool.
Using floury potatoes: they crumble into mash.
Underseasoning: potatoes need more salt than you expect.

Variations

German-style warm potato salad: Skip the mayo; fry 100 g diced bacon, add the onion, then 100 ml Chicken Stock, 3 tbsp vinegar and 1 tsp mustard, and pour over the warm potatoes.
Nordic: Use sour cream instead of yogurt, extra dill and chives, and add chopped radishes.