Although my Mom was a really good cook, there were a couple of recipes of hers that I absolutely didn't like. For example, her potato salad, made with cooked, cut up all-purpose Eastern potatoes mixed with onions and Miracle Whip.
And because I didn't like that potato salad or even that style of potato salad, I have spent years experimenting with different recipes.
A while ago I tried making potato salad using roasted potatoes and it opened up a whole new range of options. Roasting gives an entirely different texture and flavor to potatoes and, of course to any salad you create with them.
There's a wonderful recipe for Roasted Lemon-Rosemary Potato Salad in my book, The Modern Kosher Kitchen.
This one was a big hit recently at a buffet get-together at my house. A good choice for a Labor Day picnic.
Roasted Potato Salad
- 2-1/2 pounds small red bliss or baby Yukon Gold potatoes
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2-3 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs such as thyme, savory, rosemary, marjoram (or a mixture)
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry the potatoes and cut them into bite size pieces. Place the potatoes on a baking tray. Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the potatoes and toss to coat them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast the potatoes for about 25 minutes or until tender. Remove the tray from the oven and place the potatoes in a bowl. Add the red onion and pour in the white wine. Toss the ingredients and let cool slightly. Whisk the remaining olive oil, white wine vinegar and mustard and pour over the potatoes. Add the parsley and herbs, toss and let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Makes 8 servings