Greek-ish potato salad
Potato salad. Just yum. We love us a classic version, complete with mayo, chopped boiled egg, a hint of powdered mustard and chopped chives/parsley – we don’t even mind if a smidge of very finely chopped celery finds its way in. Some American versions include chopped pickles or a dash of sweet pickle relish, and we don’t hate these ideas either.
What we don’t love is when the spuds are so overcooked it’s impossible to tell where the potato ends and the mayo begins, and the whole thing is just an amorphous mess. Unless it’s deliberately that way, like good Korean or Japanese versions, which are effectively a kind of cold potato mash. These types contain thinly sliced, salted cucumber and carrot, plus cooked corn. And chopped ham or bacon. Kewpie mayo, plus a dash of rice vinegar, is the binder of choice – the overall effect is deliciously salty, sweet and creamy (sometimes Korean potato salad also contains rice syrup to make it even sweeter). In Korea they shove it in a sandwich, although it’s mainly popular as a side with traditional BBQ. Yep, these mashed potato salads are pretty yum and now you’ve got us craving one.
In general though, we like a bit of bite to our potato, with everything in the PoSal distinct from other ingredients. This easy version uses a punchy vinaigrette for a lighter change from the usual mayo, and it’s a boss of a potato salad. The gutsy Greek-ish flavours beg for grilled lamb chops or a good, juicy steak to go alongside – but your call on how you want to serve it.
SERVES 4-6
800g unpeeled baby potatoes
1 small red onions, thinly sliced
150g (1 cup) pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
100g feta, coarsely crumbled
large handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
handful dill fronds, coarsely chopped
Dressing
1 large garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp dried Greek oregano
80ml (¼ cup) extra virgin olive oil
Cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water until just tender, then cool until still slightly warm. Cut in half, then combine in a bowl with the remaining ingredients.
For the dressing, combine the garlic, mustard, vinegar and oregano in a bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly add the oil, whisking continuously to combine, then season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add a little more vinegar if you like your dressing really sharp.
Drizzle over the potato mixture in the bowl, then toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper, transfer to a serving bowl or dish, then serve.
