pretty by the bay

Remember Corey’s love/hate relationship with tomatoes? He has a similar mindset when it comes to potato salad. It contains all sorts of ingredients that he loves – potatoes, mayo, pickles, mustard – so in theory, he should love it. But he remains indifferent. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean he’s intolerant. He’ll taste any potato salad I create in an attempt to find the perfect recipe that suits both our tastes.

I think we finally have a winner in this Austrian Style Potato Salad from – yet again – Cook’s Illustrated. (Can you tell I’m officially obsessed?) It caught my eye because it promised a creamy texture without mayo. Intrigued, I read the accompanying article and learned that erdäpfelsalat is a traditional Austrian side dish usually served with wiener schnitzel. The dish is served warm or at room temperature and gets its creamy texture from the starchiness of the potatoes, as well as chicken or veal broth. Austrian versions of the dish also incorporate pickled cucumbers for an extra tangy flavor, though the CI version uses tasty cornichons.

If this is what dinner looks like in Austria, get me to Vienna, STAT! I’d liken this dish to a potato salad-mashed potato hybrid. It’s both chunky and creamy, saucy and light, and a perfect partner for grilled meat. As I watched Corey gobble it up, I did a culinary victory dance and earmarked this recipe as a keeper. (Note: the original recipe serves 4 to 6; for us, I cut it in half. I also used baby Yukon Golds so my potatoes are cut into rounds rather than chunks.)

Austrian-Style Potato Salad

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, Sept-Oct 2009

serves 4 to 6

2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 large), peeled, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2″ thick chunks

1 c low sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth if vegetarian

1 c water

1 tsp salt plus more to taste

Fresh cracked pepper, to taste

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/4 c vegetable oil

1 small red onion, chopped fine, about 3/4 c

6 cornichons or small dill pickles, minced, about 2 tbsp

2 tbsp minced fresh chives (optional – I didn’t have any, and I don’t think we missed them)

In a 12″ heavy skillet, bring potatoes, broth, water, 1 tsp salt, sugar, and 1 tbsp vinegar to a boil. When boiling, reduce heat to medium low, cover the pan and simmer until the potatoes are just about fork tender. They should be soft but not falling apart, as you want them to hold up in the salad. Remove cover from pan, bring heat up to high and reduce liquid for about 2 minutes.

Drain the potatoes in a colander set over a bowl to capture the cooking liquid. Drain off all but 1/2 cup of liquid (if less than 1/2 cup remains, add water or stock to make 1/2 cup). To the cooking liquid, add the remaining 1 tbsp vinegar, the Dijon mustard, and the oil, whisking to combine.

Add 1/2 c of the cooked potatoes to the liquid mixture and mash with a fork or potato masher until a thick, slightly chunky sauce forms. Add the remaining potatoes, red onion, cornichons and chives, folding gently with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.