Late Summer Potato Salad
I grew up with what’s typically referred to here in the states as “German” potato salad. Instead of mayonnaise as the binder with the cooked potatoes, I was only familiar with an oil and vinegar dressing instead. I’m a huge fan of mayonnaise, and “traditional” potato salads, but I still prefer my potato salads with a vinaigrette.
Over the years I’ve made all kinds of potato salads, as you can imagine. If you cook like I do, you have as well, being creative with ingredients. I’ve added tomatoes, olives, roasted red bell peppers, capers, chile peppers – you name it. But I saw a recipe in this cookbook that really caught my attention for its simplicity.
The cookbook is called The Farm. The recipes are just what you’d expect with a name like the farm. Fresh ingredients and simple cooking.
I’ve often mentioned how sometimes simple is best when it comes to cooking, and that’s exactly why I decided to make Ian Knauer’s recipe. Although being the type of cook that I am, I did change it up a bit. But only slightly. His recipe called for both basil and cilantro. I used only cilantro, and added cumin to the vinaigrette.
But the potato and corn salad was delicious, and perfect to celebrate the summer coming to an end.
Potato Corn Salad
Salad:
Cooked red potatoes, peels on
Cooked corn on the cob
Purple onion, diced
Olive oil
Chopped cilantro
Drain the cooked potatoes so they’re not water-logged, and then place them in a large bowl. Add the corn and onion. Add a little olive oil and toss the ingredients gently. The olive oil will keep the potatoes moist. Then add the cilantro.
Let the salad cool slightly if the potatoes are still hot. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette.
Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Place all of the ingredients in a blender jar. I included the mayonnaise to make the dressing a little milder and creamier, but that is optional.
Place in a bowl for serving.
Once the salad is just warm or at room temperature, it can be served.
If you want a heftier potato and corn salad, you could always include sausage. Polish sausage, Italian sausage, or chorizo would be delicious!
I added a little ground black pepper to the salad as well. Cayenne flakes would be good, too.
About the Author: Chef Mimi
Love this beautiful potato salad, Mimi! I have a potato salad I’ve not gotten around to posting, similar in that it is not mayo based. Thanks for sharing your idea…
The mayo ones can be good, too. I just prefer the others!
I agree :)
When corn is fresh, I put it in everything, but I’ve not used it in potato salad. Next…..
I like adding ingredients willy nilly. But I don’t think I’d ever used the two together before, either!
Loving that! No mayo for me.. I have some Hungarian mangelica sausage.. Might be perfect for this! Chops tonite though..
I think all kinds of sausages would be good in this salad!!! Chorizo especially comes to mind!
I have that cookbook, too. And I’ve seldom met a homemade potato salad that I didn’t like, no matter what the type! But yours looks particularly delicious.
I preferred adding the cumin and cilantro, but that’s just my automatic tendency. Without either it would still be a great salad!
Simply beautiful with these delicate colours! I will definitely make it!
Thank you!
Thanks so much!
Ooooh, that sounds good too!
Simple and delicious!
Great post, Mimi. I had never heard of potato salad with vinaigrette before visiting Vienna. There they also add hot beef stock, and it is more delicious than I could have imagined.
I remember your potato salad post with the beef stock. I still have to try that!
Can I call this early spring potato salad? :P
It looks awesome!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I guess it depends on what side of the equator you’re on! Thanks!
I think in New England we do more of the mayo based potato salads but I love the German potato salads too & this one is really great because of the addition of the corn. Isn’t it amazing the things you can do with a potato though! I’m with you on simple being the best when it comes to food, especially the cooking part. When I cook I’d rather do simple & save the complex stuff for when I go out to a fine restaurant – why get all stressed when someone else can do all the work for me?
Absolutely. There’s a reason chefs are chefs and work in restaurants. And nothing I do is really precise or complex. And that’s fine with me!!!!
They just don’t feel as heavy to me, like 200 calories per mouthful like the mayo kind! But those can be good too!
Soupy- mayo-laden potato (chicken, tuna) salad grosses me out. Actually, it’s my worst nightmare. But I love this!!
Those mayo varieties can really be over-mayoed. The worst one I ever had was when my husband ordered coronation chicken salad in England, without realizing mayo was involved, which he dislikes. But I couldn’t even eat it for him!
Reblogged this on Cappuccino.
Thank you!
Here in Southern Germany we actually frown upon potato salad with mayonnaise – it’ll always be with a vinaigrette, so I wholly approve your version :-D . Another difference to Northern Germany – and most other countries – is that you won’t find whole or halved potatoes in a salad, they’ll always be sliced.
Such an interesting difference! My mother is from Northeastern France and her father was Alsatian, so my mother has only made potato salads with a vinaigrette. She tossed the potatoes in oil, but sometimes also with broth to keep them moist, before adding the vinaigrette and remaining ingredients. It’s the best way!
Oh, Alsace is only about 1.5 hrs from here, and you definitely get the influence from there where I live, and I’m sure vice versa.
My godmother also taught me to add broth to potato salad.
It’s smart, otherwise you have to keep adding oil to moisten the potatoes. And such a beautiful area! I’ve been to Nancy, where my mother lived, and a village near Nancy where my grandmother had a weekend home, and Colmar.