Torn Potato Salad with Toasted Garlic and Herb Dressing

Zutaten

2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled

1 teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking potatoes

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, sliced thin

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, plus extra for seasoning

½ teaspoon pepper

½ cup chopped fresh chives, parsley, cilantro, and/or dill

Anweisungen

1. Bring 3 quarts water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Add potatoes and 3 tablespoons salt; return to boil and cook until potatoes are very tender and easily crushed but not breaking down, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander and let sit until cool enough to handle but still warm, about 10 minutes.

2. Wipe saucepan clean with damp paper towels. Heat oil and garlic in now-empty saucepan over medium heat, swirling oil constantly once garlic begins to sizzle. Cook until garlic is light golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately pour oil and garlic into large bowl. Add mayonnaise, vinegar, pepper, and salt and whisk until smooth.

3. Using your fingertips, gently tear each potato into rough 1-inch pieces and add to bowl with dressing. Add herbs and toss until evenly combined. Season with salt, pepper, and extra vinegar to taste. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. (Potato salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; season with salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste before serving.)

Notizen

Look for potatoes that are similar in size, about 2 inches in diameter. You can substitute Red Bliss potatoes for the baby Yukon Gold potatoes and red or white wine vinegar for the sherry vinegar.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS The unique appeal of this potato salad is the texture of the potatoes, which we boiled whole and then tore into chunks (rather than cutting them before boiling or boiling and then slicing them). Boiling baby Yukon Gold potatoes whole in extra-salty water until they were very tender (rather than just tender, as some potato salads call for), created a delightful contrast in textures between the tight, slightly firm exteriors (that “pop” a bit when you bite into them) and the creamy, well-seasoned interiors. Plus, tearing the flavorful spuds into craggy, irregular pieces created a porous and convoluted surface for the dressing not only to coat but also to be absorbed.