Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (29 page)
SERVES 4 TO 6
Note that this recipe calls for celery seeds, not celery salt; if only celery salt is available, use the same amount but omit the addition of salt in the dressing. When testing the potatoes for doneness, simply taste a piece; do not overcook the potatoes or they will become mealy and will break apart. The potatoes must be just warm, or even fully cooled, when you add the dressing. If the potato salad seems a little dry, add up to 2 tablespoons more mayonnaise.
2 | pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ³⁄ |
Salt | |
2 | tablespoons distilled white vinegar |
1 | celery rib, chopped fine |
¹⁄ | cup mayonnaise |
3 | tablespoons sweet pickle relish |
2 | tablespoons minced red onion |
2 | tablespoons minced fresh parsley |
³⁄ | teaspoon dry mustard |
³⁄ | teaspoon celery seeds |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
2 | large FOOLPROOF HARD-COOKED EGGS |
1.
Place potatoes in large saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon salt, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring once or twice, until potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes.
2.
Drain potatoes and transfer to large bowl. Add vinegar and, using rubber spatula, toss gently to combine. Let stand until potatoes are just warm, about 20 minutes.
3.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together celery, mayonnaise, relish, onion, parsley, mustard, celery seeds, pepper, and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt. Using rubber spatula, gently fold dressing and eggs, if using, into potatoes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour; serve. (Potato salad can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
SERVES 4 TO 6
When testing the potatoes for doneness, simply taste a piece; do not overcook the potatoes or they will become mealy and will break apart. The potatoes must be just warm, or even fully cooled, when you add the dressing. If the potato salad seems a little dry, add up to 2 tablespoons more mayonnaise.
2 | pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ³⁄ |
Salt | |
2 | tablespoons distilled white vinegar |
1 | celery rib, chopped fine |
¹⁄ | cup mayonnaise |
2 | tablespoons minced red onion |
2 | tablespoons minced fresh parsley |
1 | garlic clove, minced |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
2 | FOOLPROOF HARD-COOKED EGGS |
¹⁄ | cup chopped fresh basil |
6 | ounces cherry tomatoes, halved |
1.
Place potatoes in large saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon salt, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring once or twice, until potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes.
2.
Drain potatoes and transfer to large bowl. Add vinegar and, using rubber spatula, toss gently to combine. Let stand until potatoes are just warm, about 20 minutes.
3.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together celery, mayonnaise, onion, parsley, garlic, pepper, and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon salt. Using rubber spatula, gently fold dressing and eggs, if using, into potatoes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Just before serving, add basil and tomatoes; serve. (Potato salad can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
French potato salad should be pleasing not only to the eye but also to the palate. The potatoes (small red potatoes are traditional) should be tender but not mushy, and the flavor of the vinaigrette should penetrate the relatively bland potatoes. To eliminate torn skins and broken slices, a common pitfall in boiling skin-on red potatoes, we sliced the potatoes before boiling them. Then to evenly infuse the potatoes with the garlicky mustard vinaigrette, we spread the warm potatoes out on a sheet pan and poured the vinaigrette over the top. Gently folding in fresh herbs just before serving helped keep the potatoes intact.
SERVES 6
If fresh chervil isn’t available, substitute an additional ¹⁄
2
tablespoon of minced parsley and an additional ¹⁄
2
teaspoon of tarragon. For best flavor, serve the salad warm.
2 | pounds small red potatoes, cut into ¹⁄ |
2 | tablespoons salt |
1 | garlic clove, peeled and threaded on skewer |
1¹⁄ | tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar |
2 | teaspoons Dijon mustard |
¹⁄ | cup olive oil |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
1 | small shallot, minced |
1 | tablespoon minced fresh chervil |
1 | tablespoon minced fresh parsley |
1 | tablespoon minced fresh chives |
1 | teaspoon minced fresh tarragon |
1.
Place potatoes and salt in large saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch; bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium. Lower skewered garlic into simmering water and partially blanch, about 45 seconds. Immediately run garlic under cold running water to stop cooking; remove garlic from skewer and set aside. Continue to simmer potatoes, uncovered, until tender but still firm (thin-bladed paring knife can be slipped into and out of center of potato slice with no resistance), about 5 minutes. Drain potatoes, reserving ¹⁄
4
cup cooking water. Arrange hot potatoes close together in single layer on rimmed baking sheet.
2.
Press garlic through garlic press or mince by hand. Whisk garlic, reserved potato cooking water, vinegar, mustard, oil, and pepper in small bowl until combined. Drizzle dressing evenly over warm potatoes; let stand 10 minutes.
3.
Toss shallot and herbs in small bowl. Transfer potatoes to large serving bowl; add shallot-herb mixture and mix gently with rubber spatula to combine. Serve immediately.
TO MAKE AHEAD:
Follow recipe through step 2, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Before serving, bring salad to room temperature, then add shallots and herbs.
Omit herbs and toss dressed potatoes with ¹⁄
2
cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped, 4 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled, and 3 ounces baby arugula, torn into bite-size pieces (3 cups) along with the shallots in step 3.
When chopping the fennel fronds for this variation, use only the delicate wispy leaves, not the tough, fibrous stems to which they are attached.
Trim stalks and fronds from 1 small fennel bulb; roughly chop and reserve ¹⁄
4
cup fronds. Halve bulb lengthwise; using paring knife, core 1 half of bulb, reserving second half for another use. Cut half crosswise into very thin slices. Omit chervil, chives, and tarragon, and increase parsley to 3 tablespoons. Toss dressed potatoes with fennel, 1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced medium, and ¹⁄
4
cup oil-cured black olives, pitted and quartered, along with shallots and parsley in step 3.
Omit herbs and substitute 2 tablespoons minced red onion for shallot. Toss dressed potatoes with 2 thinly sliced red radishes, ¹⁄
4
cup capers, rinsed and drained, and ¹⁄
4
cup cornichons, thinly sliced, along with red onion in step 3.
KEEPING POTATO SALAD SAFE
Mayonnaise has gotten a bad reputation, being blamed for spoiled potato salads and upset stomachs after many summer picnics and barbecues. You may think that switching from a mayonnaise-based dressing to a vinaigrette will protect your potato salad (and your family) from food poisoning. Think again.
The main ingredients in mayonnaise are raw eggs, vegetable oil, and an acid (usually vinegar or lemon juice). The eggs used in commercially made mayonnaise have been pasteurized to kill salmonella and other bacteria. Its high acidity is another safeguard; because bacteria do not fare well in acidic environments, the lemon juice or vinegar inhibits bacterial growth. Mayonnaise, even when homemade, is rarely a problem unless it contains very little acid. It’s the potatoes that are more likely to go bad.
The bacteria usually responsible for spoiled potato salad are Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus (commonly known as staph). Both are found in soil and dust, and they thrive on starchy, low-acid foods like rice, pasta, and potatoes. If they find their way into your potato salad via an unwashed cutting board or contaminated hands, they can wreak havoc on your digestive system.
Most foodborne bacteria grow well at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This is known as the temperature danger zone and if contaminated food remains in this zone for too long, the bacteria can produce enough toxins to make you sick. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends refrigerating food within two hours of its preparation, or one hour if the room temperature is above 90 degrees. Heat from the sun is often what causes the trouble at summer picnics.
To ensure that good memories are the only thing people pick up at your party, play it safe; don’t leave potato salad out for more than two hours and promptly refrigerate any leftovers.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
German potato salad is best served warm and offers a balance of big flavors from bacon and vinegar. To avoid the common problems of disintegrating potatoes and a flavorless vinaigrette, we used low-starch potatoes (e.g., small red potatoes) cut in half and cooked in heavily salted water. For flavor, we fried up plenty of bacon, then used just part of the rendered fat in the vinaigrette, along with white vinegar, whole grain mustard, sugar, and some of the potato cooking water, which added body to the dressing.
SERVES 6 TO 8
We prefer to use medium red potatoes, measuring 1 to 2 inches in diameter, in this recipe. A traditional skillet, unlike a nonstick skillet, will allow the bacon to form caramelized bits on the skillet bottom. This will result in a richer-tasting dressing and a more flavorful salad.
2 | pounds red potatoes, halved if smaller or quartered if larger |
Salt | |
8 | slices bacon, cut into ¹⁄ |
1 | onion, chopped fine |
¹⁄ | teaspoon sugar |
¹⁄ | cup white vinegar |
1 | tablespoon whole grain mustard |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
¹⁄ | cup chopped fresh parsley |
1.
Place potatoes, 1 tablespoon salt, and water to cover in large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender (thin-bladed paring knife can be slipped into and out of potatoes with little resistance), about 10 minutes. Reserve ¹⁄
2
cup potato cooking water, then drain potatoes; return potatoes to pot and cover to keep warm.
2.
While potatoes are simmering, cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate; pour off all but ¹⁄
4
cup bacon grease. Add onion to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally over medium heat until softened and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in sugar until dissolved, about 30 seconds. Add vinegar and reserved potato cooking water; bring to simmer and cook until mixture is reduced to about 1 cup, about 3 minutes. Off heat, whisk in mustard and pepper. Add potatoes, parsley, and bacon to skillet and toss to combine; adjust seasoning with salt. Transfer to serving bowl and serve. (Potato salad can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
