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Classic Potato Salad

Source of Recipe

From "The New Orleans Kitchen" by Justin Devillier


Recipe Introduction

"I have a real fondness for potato salad, which has one of those instantly recognizable, nostalgia-inducing flavors for so many. In South Louisiana, it's popular to put a scoop of potato salad in your gumbo, but at La Petite Grocery, I've surprised a few people by serving it alongside sweetbreads, fried oysters, caviar... the list goes on. I firmly believe potato salad is the perfect accompaniment to all that and more. My goal is to keep it simple. I want potato salad to taste like Grandma's version. I respect the classic form, even if I like to play around with what to serve it with. So this recipe is pretty bare-bones, with a simple herbaceous, creamy dressing. You can add hard-boiled eggs or crunchy things, like celery or pickles, if you really want, but at its core, this is what I think potato salad should be. Dress the potatoes gently, without beating them up, which would make them starchy and gloopy — that's the secret to a perfect homemade potato salad and cafeteria potato salad. I like to just coat the potatoes and then let them sit in the refrigerator to soak up some of that creamy dressing. This way, they're still delicate and fluffy when you bite into them."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice
â—¦ 2 tablespoons minced shallots
â—¦ 2 tablespoons finely chopped tarragon
â—¦ 2 tablespoons minced chives
â—¦ ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
â—¦ ½ cup mayonnaise
â—¦ 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
â—¦ 1 small lemon
â—¦ 1 tablespoon kosher salt
â—¦ Freshly cracked black pepper
â—¦ Chervil leaves or additional parsley leaves for garnish


Recipe

Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with about 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium-high, and boil until the potatoes are fully cooked and tender, about 15 minutes. They should mash when pressed gently with a spoon. Drain and then transfer to a baking sheet. Spread out in a single layer and set aside to cool completely to room temperature, about one hour.

Stir together the shallots, tarragon, chives, parsley, mayonnaise, Dijon, and vinegar in a large mixing bowl. Using a Microplane, add three strokes of lemon zest. Halve the lemon, squeeze out 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and add to the mixture. Add the salt and five grinds of black pepper. Add the potatoes to the mixing bowl and gently fold to evenly coat with the dressing.

Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. To serve, transfer to a platter and garnish with the chervil or parsley leaves and a few more shavings of lemon zest. The salad will keep in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to four days.

Makes 8 servings