Potato Salad with Sauce Gribiche Sherried Potato Salad with Smoked Paprika
Potatoes are mostly off the menu these days, as we try to watch our carb intake. But that makes them all the more special as a treat on rare occasion. When I do cook them, I love to use delectable baby yukon golds that are buttery, sweet in flavor and work beautifully with a variety of toppings. Here are two easy and interesting salads to complement your summer meals. The first is composed of those tender nuggets napped with a dressing chunky with herbs, shallots, tangy capers and cornichons. Velvety and bright, you’ll want to use this luscious sauce in many other applications. The second salad is a simple toss of potatoes with zesty sherry vinegar and smoked sweet paprika—a quick dish with complex flavor. Whichever way you choose, these recipes will shake up the way you look at this old standard.
Sauce Gribiche has a fancy sounding name, but it’s really just homemade mayo that closely resembles tartar sauce. The trick here is to start with a four minute egg. The yolk will be runny enough to emulsify, while the white part is just cooked through, adding texture to the sauce. Soft-leaved herbs are part of the mix: parsley, dill, tarragon, chives and–my favorite–fragrant chervil, if you can find it. Finished with shallot, capers and cornichons, this sauce adds great flavor to tender potatoes and would also make a wonderful accompaniment to grilled fish, roasted chicken or a variety of veggies.
To soften the bite of the shallots, combine them with the red wine vinegar and set aside while you make the rest of the sauce.
Place an egg in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for four minutes. Transfer to an ice bath to cool.
Carefully peel egg over a small bowl. Add the dijon mustard and a pinch of kosher salt and break up egg white with the tip of a whisk.
Slowly drizzle in extra virgin olive oil, whisking in drip by drip, then in a slow stream, until it’s fully emulsified.
Stir in minced herbs, chopped capers and cornichons.
Use a spoon to lift shallots out of the vinegar and add to the sauce. Mix together and taste for seasoning, adding some of the vinegar if the sauce needs more tang. Season with a bit more kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Keep potatoes whole if they’re tiny enough, or cut larger potatoes in half; they should all be about the same size so they’ll cook evenly. Place in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and add a small handful of salt. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then turn down to maintain a low boil.
Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife. Drain and cool slightly.
Toss potatoes with Sauce Gribiche while still warm so they’ll soak in all that flavor and serve.
Sherried Potato Salad gets its tang from nutty vinegar and its smokiness from one of my favorite ingredients: smoked paprika. This salad with multi-layered flavor couldn’t be any easier—it comes together almost in the time it takes to cook the spuds. Boil potatoes as directed above and add to a medium bowl.
While still warm, add the smoked sweet paprika, sherry vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss potatoes well and adjust seasoning, if needed. For a little crunch, top with thinly sliced scallions before serving.
Potato Salad with Sauce Gribiche
Adapted from food52
Serves 4 to 6:
Sauce Gribiche:
2 medium shallots, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
kosher salt
1 1/4 cup grapeseed or neutral oil
1/4 cup minced herbs: chervil, dill, tarragon, parsley, chives
1 tablespoon drained capers, chopped
1 tablespoon cornichons, chopped
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds baby yukon gold potatoes
kosher salt
Sherried Potato Salad with Smoked Paprika
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Serves 4 to 6:
1 1/2 pounds baby yukon gold potatoes
kosher salt
1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
3 teaspoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 scallions, thinly sliced for garnish