Saturday 10 September 2011

French Herb Potato Salad

Before I begin, I'd like to also give a quick reminder that this is the last day of my giveaway. Hope you'll join me, I'll be picking the winner tonight, and will announce it tomorrow. Check it out here:



So for Labour Day Weekend, my friends hosted a BBQ, which they held in their fantastic backyard since the weather was great. It was a perfect day. Swimming, our closest friends, wine, food and a campfire to top it off. So along with some store bought wine and pasta  salad, I decided to make something very Mediterranean. Ina Garten's French Potato Salad. The way I see it, if there's someone you're going to turn to for a recipe like potato salad, you cannot go wrong with the Barefoot Contessa. While she is not a qualified chef, her recipes are only fantastic. This recipe was great, I just wanted to eat more and more of it. But of course I didn't, because that wouldn't be very Mediterranean of me, would it?


So here's the recipe:


  • 1 pound small white boiling potatoes
  • 1 pound small red boiling potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons good dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons chicken stock
  • 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar  (couldn't find it, so I used white wine vinegar)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 tablespoons good olive oil
  • 1/4 cup minced scallions (white and green parts)
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
  • 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves

So essentially, this was a pretty quick recipe to make. I washed and boiled the potatoes whole for about 25 minutes (they suggested 20-30) until you can feel they are ready with a fork. It also said to steam them afterwards for 10 minutes, but my potatoes were fully cooked. If I cooked them a minute longer they would have been overdone. 






While they were boiling, I chopped up all of my herbs and put them in a bowl. I was a little iffy about the 
combination of dill and basil, but with everything else it was just perfect. Sort of pickley.



So after that, I let them cool and quartered or halved my potato depending on their size. The strange part is that next, you're to mix in the chicken stock and wine. I did it, and it sort of makes sense, since potatoes soak up liquid when they're hot. It just made them extra tasty. I whisked together the vinegrette by drizzling in the olive oil to the mustard, vinegar, and half the salt and pepper. Actually I forgot to mention I didn't have any kosher or sea salt, so I ended up using about half the amount of regular old table salt. Don't forget, it's a much more concentrated flavour, so you don't need as much. I mixed the vinegrette, herbs and remaining s & p into the potatoes,  and ended up with this great, fresh tasting salad. As I suspected I didn't need ALL the vinegrette, but I suggest you make it as directed for the first time like I did, and then judge for yourself. 

Enjoy!
Have a great day!  

8 comments:

  1. Oh this is one of my very favortie potato salad recipes! I love how creamy it is with out any mayo and I also love. Overall a great, easy, and yummy potato salad. Cheers, Kate

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  2. I like anything that is related to potato.
    I tried the above recipe and you don't believe that my girlfriend fall in love.
    This weekend was too funny for us, is just bcz of your recipe.
    Thank you so much.

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  3. Calamity Kate, how awesome that you've made this one before. Arion, I'm so happy that I made you and your girlfriend's weekend a little more interesting!!! Glad you enjoyed.

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  4. I love Ina. She's fantastic. And she's made quite a name for herself having never been trained. This recipe looks so good. I will make it this weekend!!! Please link it to Sunday Supper SU! http://notyourordinaryrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/09/sunday-supper-stumble.html
    Thanks!

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  5. Looks amazing! Excited to try a recipe for potato salad without Mayo.

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  6. This looks like an amazing potato salad. I just love the fresh dill, parsley and basil. This is a great recipe! Hope you are having a wonderful week and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  7. sounds good. I love potatoes, who doesn't righ?
    Thanks for sharing at Bacon time.

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  8. Congratulations!
    Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday. Thanks for sharing and enjoy your Red Plate.
    Miz Helen

    ReplyDelete