Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Easy Potato Salad

Potato salad was my favourite salad for a long time, probably because it's not actually healthy - perhaps as a child KFC coleslaw edged it out of the top spot but it would certainly come much further up the list than anything with, say, lettuce in it! These days I would probably go with a nice Greek salad over potato, but there's certainly nothing wrong with having some of each, given the choice.

This recipe is very simple, not too unhealthy, and tastes fantastic - there's quite a lot of variation in the dressing used in potato salad but I love the fresh zing of the yoghurt used here - and it's so easy!

The concept comes from Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food (which, by the way, I strongly recommend for people learning to cook - it covers the basics really well) and is introduced as an "evolution salad" - you start with the absolute basics and can dress it up step by step as you desire. I often leave the last step - the addition of bacon - out, but this time round I cooked some and took it to our picnic in a separate container to be added on top, as we have quite a few vegetarian friends, so adding it to the salad would have been a bit mean.


The essential ingredients are potatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, natural (unsweetened) yoghurt, and salt and pepper to taste (Jamie actually claims the yoghurt is optional but I don't think it's potato salad until it has a creamy dressing). Then you can add chives and/or bacon to lift the flavour. It is great with everything, but it's always nice to know something will still have ample flavour-factor without some of the ingredients -  the bacon is by far the priciest part, and I like feeling the freedom to perform a cost/benefit analysis: will the bacon add enough extra flavour to warrant making the dish cost $7 more?



How do you make your potato salad? I know some people use mayo, I've heard of (though have to admit to being slightly disturbed by) sweetened condensed milk dressings, and I know my mum uses the leftover spuds on Christmas Day combined with cream to make her version. I personally really love the tang of this - and also that it's relatively healthy.


Easy Potato Salad (adapted from Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food)
Ingredients
1.5kg potatoes
1 Tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
600ml natural unsweetened yoghurt
a handful of fresh chives
4 rashers of bacon
salt and pepper to season

Cube the potatoes and boil in a saucepan until just tender. Drain and toss through olive oil and lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool for a few minutes. In the meantime, chop the bacon into small pieces and fry (if using). Chop the chives. Toss the yoghurt, chives and bacon through the salad. Chill until serving.

6 comments:

  1. Yum I love potato salad. Ive been enjoying this recipe from paisley Jade. After tasting hers...Im ruined and it has to be just this way. So delish. http://www.paisleyjade.com/2010/11/potato-salad.html

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  2. Ohhh Jacksta, I don't know... I'm definitely not a fan of egg or gherkin in my salad! ;-) Spring onion sounds like a good alternative to chives, though.

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  3. I make my potato salad with a mix of sour cream (for the tang and creaminess) and coleslaw dressing. I add spring onions and chopped boiled egg.

    After insalata caprese (ooh get me), it's my fave salad

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  4. A family favourite is cooked green peas blended up with plenty of finely chopped mint,sour cream,mayonnaise,garlic,salt and pepper and poured over the freshly cooked new potatoes.I make it a reasonably loose consistency and mix well.It looks vibrant and amazing and is always hugely popular at barbecues etc.It is essential to use heaps of mint,or jazz it up with extra mint jelly etc.

    Also,I hope your family and friends in Christchurch have made it safely through the awful events of the day.It must be very worrying for you,as it is for us - we can't contact most of our family and friends.

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  5. Kaz: insalata caprese = soo good!

    Sarah - interesting, I would never have thought of that but will have to try that.

    Anon, that also sounds interesting - so much variety! Thanks for your kind thoughts, my family are fortunately safe and well, though there is much work ahead.

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