Let's Be Spuds

the perfect potato salad to make friends with

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We’re having an unseasonably cool May in LA. April showers led to May Gray and June Gloom is right around the corner. I’m sure come September I’ll be bitching about how hot it is but right now, we’re just starting to hit the outdoor cookout season and I’m feeling rusty. So for the next couple weeks here in The Broiler Room we’re going to start warming things up ourselves with a  new series: Summer Cookout Recipes. Each week will feature a new recipe perfect to bring to a potluck, a BBQ at the park, or just simply for entertaining outside. We’ll have sides, mains, and plenty of things for the grill. I’ve even been working on a dessert full of nostalgia so strap in, we’re gonna have a fuck ton of food.

First up, one of the prettiest potato salads ever. A standard niçoise salad is a classic showstopper but the piles of hard-boiled eggs, tuna, and occasional meat make it less than an ideal dish to leave out in the sun at a cookout, even if no one was vegan. This reimagined potato-forward version has all the curb appeal of the original without any of the fuss. You can just mix everything together if you want to be practical about it, but a little showmanship never hurt anybody. I like to dress all the components separately then plate in the standard composed style of a niçoise salad because it looks fucking beautiful. Seriously, I’ve made a lot of delicious, craveable potato salads in my day but this one is most gorgeous by a mile. The hardest part is just doing all the chopping. It’s all downhill from there. I swear.

If you want to prep this the night before, chop all the veggies up and store them separately. Then toss the potatoes with 1/3 of the dressing and let them soak it up overnight. The next day, lightly dress the remaining veggies then throw everything on a large, rimmed platter or bowl with a little extra dressing drizzle on top with some herbs sprinkled over for looks. Gorgeous, just like you.

Potato Niçoise Salad

Enough for 6 people

½ pound green beans, chopped

2 pounds small yellow or red potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half if large

1 ½ cups cooked white or cannellini beans, or one 15 ounce can drained and rinsed

1 cup chopped cucumbers, about 2 small Persian cucumbers

1 cup sliced cherry or grape tomatoes

1 cup of your favorite pitted olive mix, whole or chopped

1/3 cup chopped red onion or shallot

Minced chives for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

Niçoise Dressing (about 1 cup)

¼ cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 lemons

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons rice or champagne vinegar

1 tablespoon agave or maple syrup

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 clove of garlic, minced

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil over medium heat while you chop up all your veggies. Grab a medium bowl and fill it with cold water and a little ice. That’s right, we’re blanching bitches. Once the water is boiling, salt it generously then throw in the chopped green beans. Turn the heat to medium low, set a timer for 3 ½ minutes, and let the green beans gently simmer. Once the timer goes off, use a slotted spoon and get the green beans out of the pot and into the ice bath to stop the cooking. This will keep them bright green and let them keep a little of their bite. DO NOT DRAIN THE WATER. We’re reusing that shit. Let the water come back up to a boil then throw in the potatoes with a little extra salt. Simmer them for 15 minute or until you can easily push a fork through them.

While the potatoes are cooking, make the dressing. In a large mixing glass, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegars, agave, Dijon mustard, and garlic. While whisking, stream in the olive oil to make sure that everything gets good and incorporated. Stir in the parsley and set it aside.

Once you’ve drained the potatoes, let them cool for a couple of minutes then toss them in a bowl with 1/3 of the dressing and some salt and pepper. Let them sit in the dressing for at least 20 minutes; this will give them some time to cool off and absorb all that flavor. Use a slotted spoon and transfer the potatoes to large, rimmed tray or bowl. There will be some dressing still in the bowl so toss in each veggie individually, stir, adding more dressing and salt and pepper as needed, then plate alongside the potatoes. Once everything is dressed and on the tray, sprinkle the top with minced herbs like chives or more parsley and a little extra pepper. Serve right away with a drizzle of a little extra bit of dressing to taste.

Potato Niçoise Salad

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