a trip around the garden: herby potato salad

herby potato salad

My favourite potato salad is made with mayonnaise, spring onions and gherkins, but this salad, dressed with a herby vinaigrette comes a very close second. Salads with mayonnaise can be a bit cloying and claggy, but this one is light and tangy and perfect on a warm summer's day.

The secret of any good potato salad is to use a firm, waxy potato such as Anya, Charlotte or Pink Fir Apple as they keep their shape much better than floury types. Another secret is to dress the salad while the potatoes are still warm as it coats the potatoes really well. I particularly like Sainsbury’s nutty Anya potatoes in this salad. 

I love this salad with any variation of salmon, hot or cold smoked or poached. It is also a great accompaniment with a steak as well as a whole host of lovely summer salads, mezze or tapas.

Serves 4
Skill level: Easy

ingredients:
500g waxy salad potatoes
6 x spring onions, finely chopped
2-3 tbsp fresh herbs, finely chopped (chives, parsley and thyme)
salt and pepper
mayonnaise (optional)
herb dressing
1 x garlic clove, roughly chopped
2 spring onions, roughly chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
75ml olive oil
25ml white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper

directions:

1. Scrub the potatoes and boil whole in their skins (if using the waxy variety) in a large pan of salted, boiling water for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender. (I don't bother peeling the potatoes as I am of the opinion the beauty of taste of a new potato is definitely skin deep - there is lots of flavour in the skin!).
2. Drain the potatoes and refresh under cold running water. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
3. Make the dressing by whizzing up all the ingredients in a blender.
4. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, make sure that they are cut into bite sized pieces, then add the dressing together and set aside to cool further.
5. Before serving, add the chopped spring onions, fresh herbs and season to taste.
6. (If you like a creamier potato salad then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise – but on a really hot day, I prefer not to!)

tips:

• Use firm, waxy potatoes (Anya, Charlotte or Pink Fir Apple, for example).
• Don’t peel the potatoes since the skin helps them to keep their shape while cooking. The skin also imparts a nice earthy flavour to the potatoes.
• Cover the potatoes with cold water and bring to a slow boil. This prevents the skin from splitting and the potatoes becoming mushy and waterlogged.
• When the potatoes are cooked, drain and immediately refresh under cold water (to arrest the cooking). Drain again and then dress with whatever dressing you have chosen, whether a mayonnaise type one, a vinaigrette dressing or even a romesco, salsa verde or pesto sauce.
• Good things to serve with the salad include:
• 1 lemon , ½ zested over a couple of pieces of poached fish (sea trout by my choice)
• 1 tbsp small capers , rinsed
• ¼ cucumber, diced