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Japanese: Japanese Potato Salad

Source of Recipe

From "The Milk Street Cookbook" by Christopher Kimball


Recipe Introduction

"Getting potato salad right is no picnic. Too often the salad lacks the acidity or piquancy needed to cut through the richness of the mayonnaise. Our search for a better option led us to Japan, where potato salads are partially mashed to create a creamier texture. And they balance that texture with crumbled hard-boiled egg and the crisp bite of vegetables, such as cucumber and carrots. Tying everything together is Kewpie, a Japanese mayonnaise made with rice vinegar and egg yolks. It is smoother and richer than American mayonnaise. We started by looking for the right potatoes, which turned out to be Yukon Gold. Salting the cooking water ensured even seasoning, as did sprinkling them with vinegar and black pepper as they cooled. Waiting until the potatoes were at room temperature before adding mayonnaise was important to avoid oiliness. We used American mayonnaise but approximated the Kewpie flavor by increasing the vinegar and adding an extra hard-cooked egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of sugar. For a savory touch, we added diced ham and finished with scallions. Don't substitute starchy russet or waxy new potatoes. The smooth texture of partly mashed Yukon Golds gave us the creamy consistency we wanted."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 Persian cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
â—¦ 1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
â—¦ ¼ cup minced red onion
â—¦ Kosher salt and ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 ½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces
â—¦ 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
â—¦ ½ cup mayonnaise
â—¦ 2 ounces thick-cut smoked deli ham, diced (about â…“ cup
â—¦ 1 hard-cooked egg plus 1 hard-cooked egg yolk, diced
â—¦ 1 teaspoon white sugar
â—¦ 2 scallions, finely sliced


Recipe

In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber, carrot, onion and 2 teaspoons of salt. Set aside. In a large saucepan over medium-high, combine the potatoes with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer until tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

Drain the potatoes, then transfer to a large bowl. Using a fork, coarsely mash half of them. Sprinkle with the vinegar and ¾ teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine, then spread in an even layer along the bottom and sides of the bowl. Let cool for at least 20 minutes.

Transfer the vegetable mixture to a fine mesh strainer and rinse well. Working in batches, use your hands to squeeze the vegetables, removing as much liquid as possible, then add to the potatoes. Add the mayonnaise, ham, diced egg and yolk and sugar. Fold until thoroughly combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Sprinkle with scallions, then serve chilled or at room temperature.

Makes 4 servings