In this potato salad recipe from Ottolenghi Comfort by Yotam Ottolenghi, the potatoes are boiled before being soaked in a well-seasoned chicken stock for two hours. This draws upon the traditional German style of making potato salad with an oil or broth base. But this recipe breaks with tradition due to its inventive additions of crumbled fried pancetta, paprika oil and cucumber for some added freshness.
What makes German potato salad different?
While Germans do enjoy a mayonnaise-based potato salad, in southern parts of the country like Bavaria and Swabia, an oil or broth base is more prevalent. Traditionally, they are made with beef broth, topped with bacon and have a vinegar dressing. It is also typically enjoyed hot or warm, as opposed to the cold mayonnaise-based American potato salads.
What kind of potato should I use?
It’s very important to use a waxy type of potato. Ottolenghi Comfort recommends a Yukon Gold, which is easy to find and most similar to the varietals typically used in Germany. Do not use a starchy type of potato like a Russet, as it will make your salad dry and crumbly.
How will it still have a creamy texture without mayonnaise?
After being boiled, the potatoes are covered in a chicken stock mixture for two hours. As the potatoes sit in the broth, they release a natural starchiness that makes this potato salad deliciously creamy.
Ottolenghi's Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb Yukon Gold or other waxy potatoes
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped (¾ cup)
- 1 garlic clove crushed to a paste
- ¾ cup chicken stock
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp black peppercorns coarsely crushed in a mortar and pestle
- 15 g chives two-thirds finely chopped and one-third cut into ½-inch lengths
- 75 g diced smoked pancetta
- 1 tsp paprika
- ¼ cucumber sliced lengthwise, seeded and cut into ¼-inch/ ½cm dice (100g)
- Salt
Instructions
- Put the potatoes into a medium saucepan, for which you have a lid. Add just enough water to cover, salt generously and place on medium-high heat.
- Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 20–25 minutes, until just tender.
- Drain and, once cool enough to handle, remove the skins from the potatoes and slice into ¼-inch/½cm-thick rounds. Set aside in a medium bowl.
- Put 2 tablespoons of the oil into a medium sauté pan and place on medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring regularly, until caramelized. Add the garlic and stock, bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat.
- Add the mustard, vinegar, 1¼ teaspoons of salt, the pepper, and another 2 tablespoons of oil. Whisk to combine, then pour the mixture over the potatoes.
- Mix gently but thoroughly: it will look wet (and some of the potatoes will break up), but this is normal. Set aside for about 2 hours, for the potatoes to soak up about half the broth, and then stir in the finely chopped chives.
- Meanwhile, wipe clean the sauté pan and place on medium-high heat. Add the pancetta, decrease the heat to medium-low, and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels— leave about 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan— and set aside. Once cool, finely chop the pancetta into crumbles.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the fat in the pan, along with the paprika. Stir for 30 seconds or so, until fragrant, then remove from the heat.
- When ready to serve, fold the cucumber into the potato salad and transfer to a serving plate. Scatter the pancetta crumbles over the top, along with the cut chives. Spoon on the paprika oil and serve.
