What would we be without the products we America has given us, particularly in summer. Not only would it be terrible to survive without tomatoes and peppers, we also wouldn’t be able to enjoy our potato salad recipes. For a reason it is also known as summer salad and it is already a classic in half the world as soon as the temperatures rise, with our classic country salad as the star in Spain.
Whichever international version we like best or the personal touch we give it at home, a good potato salad is perhaps the perfect and universal dish for the hot months. Further satiating and with a lower glycemic index than pasta or rice saladsit is also more recommendable in terms of food safety, as these two products are more likely to spoil prematurely or develop microorganisms that can cause unpleasant poisoning.
Focusing on purely gastronomic aspects and enjoyment, the potato salad appeals any time, it is perfect to prepare a lunch with no more company than some fruit for dessert, or it can be a wonderful first course or garnish for barbecues, fish and meat. It makes an exceptional pairing with cold soups, it is ideal to take in a refrigerated container to the beach or on a picnic, and it can be left out in advance to fix dinner. She has it all.
It only has one slight drawback: it is so easy to do that we can come too high improvising on the fly without care. Yes, basically it is just about cooking potatoes, peeling them, mixing them with other ingredients and dressing them, but there are very common mistakes that we can all make that could turn a delicious dish into an inedible paste. Or, without reaching that limit, stay in battle food without grace or salt shaker.
To avoid our own suffering and that of our relatives, we review these failures common and how to remedy them for a top-notch potato salad.
Choosing the wrong potatoes
A priori we could make a potato salad with any variety of the tuber, but there are some top what others. Of course, nothing to take advantage of to release old, wrinkled specimens that languish in the pantry, with sprouts and greenish skin. If it is the main element, it must be of good quality.
The good news is that in summer we have new potatoes in the markets; they have more water and less starch, so they are less floury and are more tender and smooth. Also, if we like the skin, we could eat it, since it contains less solanine than the old potato. Good varieties are kennebec, monalisa, red or spunta. The new potato from Galicia is great, always checking that they are just that, new and from this season.
overcooked potatoes
Nobody wants mashed potatoes on their salad. Nor is it about making a Russian salad, or some mashed potatoes, although they are all dishes that we love. It is therefore important pay attention When cooking, do not lose sight of the casserole and check the point in time.
Another problem with past potatoes is that can explode or open during the process, due to the release of starch that swells more and more, and ends up bursting out. New potatoes reduce this risk, but it is best not to exceed the cooking time, and keep in mind that they will continue to cook a bit if we let them sit very hot.
half raw potatoes
Almost worse than an overcooked potato in a salad is the potato. al dentemedium raw inside, hard, unpleasant and indigestible. Here there is no more mystery than making sure that they are tender on the inside, for example by inserting a round toothpick, thin skewer or pointed knife into the center, through the thickest part of each potato. You should be able to cut through the pulp easily.
Start cooking in already boiling water
This rule must be memorized: potatoes are cooked from cold waterThey are never added to boiling water. If we do, they will be well done on the outside and hard or raw on the inside, also probably causing them to crumble when pierced.
Undercooked and bland potatoes
It is no longer just about spending time or falling short; we could cook them evil. We already know that we have to start with cold water, but if we want perfect results, the ideal is to peel them raw, cut them into the size we like for the salad, all the same -approximately-, and season the water with a little salt and vinegar.
Normally we would cook the potatoes with their skin on, as it protects the tuber and preserves its vitamins and minerals better, but if we peel we will get them to absorb that point of salt from the water and they will be much richer. In addition, the vinegar prevents them from overcooking too soon, retaining the starch, and if we cut them into homogeneous pieces from the start, we make sure that they will all be done equally.
Another good idea is to keep the water temperature below 60ºC; They will take a little longer, but they will remain with a perfect, more controlled texture, preventing them from breaking later, once cold.
cold season
Another common mistake is waiting for the potatoes to cool down before dressing them. That’s why it’s also a good idea peel before cookingthis way we will avoid burning ourselves when trying to remove the skin while it is hot, and we will have them ready to dress.
You have to have ready the ingredients of the dressing and all the other components of the salad to hot mix as soon as the potatoes are ready, well drained. Although we only season them with olive oil, a little more salt, pepper and lemon or a classic vinaigrette, the potato will absorb the flavors much more if it is hot than if we mix everything cold.
little seasoning
Balance is the key, but remember that cold dishes tend to be bland. That is, the cold kills or mitigates the flavors, so it is always a good idea to give it an extra point of vinaigrette, sauce, spices or fresh herbs. Uses a intensely flavored olive oil and fresh, and if you are afraid of going overboard with the salt, make a better use of a good vinegar, some mustard and some touch spicy. Pickles will also help enhance flavors and aromas.
Too many pointless ingredients
Don’t spend throwing out everything you catch in the fridge either. If the best salads are those that have few but good ingredients, a potato salad doesn’t need a thousand things either. In addition, you have to mix logically, looking for the balance and harmony, also with contrasts.
we need some product tender and sweetera couple of crunchy and fresh ingredients and others that provide juiciness, looking for something of umami and, if you want it to be a complete salad, some protein quality.
Thus, products such as celery, radishes, raw zucchini, canned seafood (tuna or bonito, anchovies, sardines…), some smoked or salted fish, grilled tofu cubes, hard-boiled eggs, boiled or roasted chicken are good companions. , pickles or capersspring onion or green chives, jalapeños, fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, chives, dill…), olives or raw sweet pepper.
Regarding the ingredients creamy and sweet To complement the vinaigrette, mayonnaise -better commercial to avoid poisoning-, Dijon or old-fashioned mustard, Greek yogurt or sour cream, ripe avocado, lime or lemon juice or pickle liquid go well.
excessive dressing
Again, not so bald and not so bald. A bland potato salad is almost hospital food, but you don’t have to bathe either the platter in a sea of oil, vinegar and sauce. He prepares a separate vinaigrette and adds little by little, mixing so that it soaks everything well, but without creating a puddle at the bottom. Save a part to correct when serving or for each diner to align their dish more to taste.
If we are to dip bread, we do want liquid remains to remain at the bottom when finished, but avoid that the potato and its friends swim in a sea of dressing.
Skip rest
There are dishes with potatoes that are well tempered and other times hunger is pressing and time is short, that cannot be avoided. However, if we cannot leave the salad resting in the fridge -covered- as minimum half an hour, better change the menu. Unlike green leafy salads, potato salads gain a lot from resting, and of course they feel like they are fresh in the middle of summer.
Be careful, they should not be served frozen either, as we have already said that cold kills flavor. The ideal is to have a few hours of margin and let it rest in the least cold area of the fridge, to have it ready for lunch or dinner.
Fackelmann Stainless steel wire skimmer, suitable for draining fried foods from pans and pots, Stainless steel colour, dishwasher safe, 36×11.8 cm, 1 pc
Photos | Marco Verch – Kamran Aydinov – Lars Blankers – Sinawa – kartymas – congerdesign
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