Growing up, I never really cared for potato salad. It started with my dislike of mayonnaise, but even when I learned how to tolerate it in the right amounts, I just found traditional potato salad boring. I fared better with the tarter German-style potato salad, with the bacon and vinegar, but many miss the creamy dressing of the more traditional style.
Today, as I compounded a potato salad for a big gathering of friends, I thought about how to marry the two, and make one that is a little more gourmet and a lot more flavorful . . . but still great for a picnic or backyard cookout. Here's what I came up with and it's pretty darn good, even if I do say so myself.
This recipe should be enough for 8 people.
2 - 2.5 pounds of small red-skin potatoes
1/3 cup good quality mayo (I like Hellman's light mayo) or vegannaise if you'd like a vegan version
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. crushed/minced rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked black peppers
1 bunch of scallions
OPTIONAL: 4 ounces of pancetta and 1 tbsp. olive oil (I purposefully did not use regular bacon as the flavor can become overwhelming)
1 tsp salt (only necessary if you don't use the pancetta
Cover the potatoes in water, bring to a boil, turn the head down to medium/low, and let them simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the largest one is fork tender. When they're done, put them on a cookie sheet to cool for about 30 minutes.
To make the dressing:
Saute the pancetta in olive oil and once it's browned, put all of it into the bottom of your serving bowl, including the oil (which will be infused not just with the flavor of the pancetta, but the saltiness from the cured meat as well). You can skip this step to make it vegetarian, but if you do, add the salt to the rest of the ingredients.
Take your bunch of scallions and cut off the very bottoms, and about 1-2 inches of the top, and then dice them. Add this to the pancetta and oil, and then add the rest of the ingredients. Stir together with a whisk and let it sit for a bit to settle and marry the flavors.
When the potatoes are mostly, but not entirely, cool, cut them into large bite sized pieces. Toss them in with the dressing, and taste for seasonings to see if it needs more of anything. Then refrigerate for at least a few hours before serving so the flavors can meld together and permeate the potatoes.
Enjoy!
