I have a mental list of “nostalgia foods” that bring me back to a feeling from my childhood or other poignant, memorable instant. On this list are a number of foods that can be so evocative but which I am afraid of eating regularly lest they be a let down and overwrite my memories. This list is not exhaustive clearly, but it goes something like this:
- linguine con vongole (inguine with clams) – my absolute last supper
- melanzane alla parmigiana
- marinated herrings with chopped hardboiled egg and onions
- charred peppers with parsley (a typical dish we eat in Italy)
- chicken broth with a scrambly egg and grated parmesan drop dumpling stirred throughout called “brodo con stracciatella”
- roast chicken and potatoes all with garlic and rosemary
- cauliflower sauteed in garlicky breadcrumbs
- apple fritters with vanilla soured cream
- bruschetta with plenty of oregano
…and somewhere on there right alongside Polish Wjejska sausage, is my mother’s take of potato salad. For about 20 years my parents had this ritual of throwing a big yearly barbecue-party for my dad’s work, in our back garden until it grew and grew in cult status to be the highlight of the Summer for over 50 people. Ambassadors and politicos and magnates from the Italo-London scene would come and pinch our cheeks and crowd around the barbecue, stealing sausages and drumsticks before they made it on to serving plates. My mum used to get night-sweats at the mere thought of it looming. Easter would blow past, the days would lengthen and all of a sudden the planning and furniture hire would kick off, culminating in a dizzying explosion of table decoration, night-lights, canapes and fridge-tetris. It was the massive hump we had to get over before we could spend 10 solid weeks in Italy, recovering, having reset our social dues back to zero. Although we hired wait staff by year 5, as the numbers grew to big for us to handle on our own, all the food and menu decisions were entirely ours. I went from being the 6 year old setting the tables and folding 200 napkins gently into the 10 year old who cut up spring onions and washed salad into the 20 year old who basically took on all the sides and marinading while my mum orchestrated the rest. Now when I bite into this potato salad of ours, it is with the ache of longing for my mum and the triumph of our “Best-Recipe” style honing over the course of two decades, of the perfect result.
Potato salad at its worst can be heavy, bland, cloying. A boring, heartburn-producing door-stop disappointment of a dish. And yet…. when it is done well, when the absorbent, dulling qualities of the potato are pre-empted and managed, when the potatoes retain some firmness and waxy bite, and the lot is infused with crunch and savoury tartness, then it can be the utter epitome of summer comfort food.
One quick aside – I found myself talking to a farmer at a cocktail party once and I grilled him about what the essential items were, in his opinion, to make sure one buys organic. He said “Milk, meat and potatoes”. Apparently tubers get sprayed with anti-sprouting chemicals to ensure their shelf-life. Therefore I try to go organic if I can.
Now for the recipe:
Punchy Potato Salad
A quick note on prepping: I virtually never bother to peel the potatoes unless they really are in a sorry state and caked in mud and blighted with scars. Normally they are pretty clean so I just give them a rinse and quick scrub if needed.
The key here is to let the flavours really permeate through the initial layers of the spuds. This is done in two key ways: 1) salt their boiling water and 2) pour your vinaigrette mixture on to the drained potatoes while still hot. They suck it up.
Ingredients
- coarse salt
- 1kg new potatoes or regular if not available
- 1 bunch spring onions
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 small bunch fresh chives
- 150g jar of sharp French cornichons (or gherkins if you prefer, in which case make sure they are not very soft)
- For the dressing
- basic vinaigrette:
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp cidre vinegar
- 2 heaped tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 garlic clove, bruised
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 15 twists of freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 300g full fat mayonnaise (about half a large jar)
Instructions
- Fill a large pan with water, put in a tablespoon of coarse salt (don't waste your precious Maldon, just rock salt or sea salt will do), swish around and put on to the boil.
- Meanwhile prep your spuds in the sink so that they are clean and relatively unblemished. Cut them to as regular a size as possible to ensure they all cook evenly. I recommend a size about that of an egg. Drop your spuds into the water and once the water returns to boiling, set to a simmer.
- Now for the fiddly bit
- Make sure you have all your work space clear and line up all the other fresh ingredients for chopping. The red onion should be sliced and roughly chopped, placed in a bowl and covered with water and a splash of white wine or malt vinegar (so as not to discolour). All the others should be chopped finely and put to one side. Then drain the now pink-hued red onion and pat dry. (This process takes the sulphurous edge off the onion).
- Next your best bet is to shake up the dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid, then let sit and the flavours mingle a moment.
- Test various potatoes with a skewer or point knife or fork teeth. The potatoes should be a little yielding without mushing under pressure. I find 20 minutes is about the average cooking time depending on water depth and size of pan. All potatoes are different and sizes still somewhat irregular so the only way to be sure, if in doubt, is to select one and slice it through and taste. AS long is it neither mushy nor crunchy it the result will be fine. I like them quite firm and waxy but my dad complains if they are like this. Sigh.
- Drain well and the residual moisture will evaporate off leaving your spuds dry and screaming for the dressing. I find it is best to leave the potatoes in the pan you boiled them in or a bigger bowl which will allow you to turn them and coat the lot with ease. Pour over the dressing in increments, mixing and turning, trying not to jab at the potatoes which are easy to damage. Let them sit. Check for flavour and repeat dressing application if necessary.
- All that remains is to leave the dressed potatoes to cool. Once they have reached room temperature, spoon on the mayonnaise and tip on most of the chopped herbs and onions and cornichons. Stir, tip into a serving bowl, sprinkle with the remaining chopped ingredients. You can refrigerate at this point, or simply leave at room temperature
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