Serves: 6
There are various schools of thought regarding potato salad: should it always include mayonnaise, or half mayo half yogurt? Should raw onion be present? Any parsley? I can see the merits of most variations of a potato salad-mayonnaise or vinaigrette are both winners in my book. Sometimes I favour a creamy salad where the potatoes are slathered in mayonnaise and yogurt with lots of lemon juice for acidity. At other times this is the version I choose-lightly boiled potatoes are left to steep in oil and vinegar and crunchy salad vegetables are added, along with lots of herbs, for texture and flavour. There is a common ingredient in both dishes though; cornichons, or mini gherkins, are a non-negotiable element to any potato salad.
Ingredients
- 650g waxy new potatoes, such as Cornish new potatoes or Jersey Royals, scrubbed
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ½ cucumber, peeled
- 1 teaspoon Maldon salt
- 175g radishes, trimmed and halved –or quartered if large
- 1 stick celery, finely chopped
- 2 purple spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
- 5 small cornichons, finely sliced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill
- 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
Method
- Put the potatoes in a pan of salted water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for about 15 -20 minutes until just cooked. Drain and immediately pour in the oil and vinegar. Clamp on a lid and leave the potatoes to steep in the dressing until cold.
- Halve the cucumber lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Cut into small cubes and put in a sieve. Sprinkle with the Maldon salt and leave for 30 minutes. Wash the cucumber under cold water and pat dry.
- Put the cucumber in a large mixing bowl and add all the remaining ingredients apart from the mustard.
- Lift the potatoes out of the dressing (reserving the dressing) and peel off the skins. Add to the other salad ingredients. Whisk the mustard into the dressing and pour over the potato salad. Mix the ingredients together and serve.
