Not Your Mama's Potato Salad

Tuesday 16 June 2009



One of my absolute favourite things to make in warmer weather is Potato Salad. The potato is my favourite vegetable and well, potato salad is one of my favourite salads.

My mother always made fantastic potato salad. She would boil the potatoes up the day before. Then on the day she would peel them carefully and cut them into little cubes. Then she would peel a cucumber, remove the seeds and cut that into little cubes as well. A bit of minced onion, some Kraft Salad Dressing, salt and pepper, and chopped egg and it was done and delicious! We used to get an ice cream scooped ball, sitting nicely on a few lettuce leaves on our plates. Very pretty. Very good.



Once I got older I discovered that there were many ways to make potato salad. One version I particularly like comes from the Fanny Farmer cookery book. You make a French vinaigrette to infuse the warm potatoes with an extra added dimension of flavour. Then there are potato salads that use only a vinaigrette dressing, like the Barefoot Contessa's,another favourite of mine.

This is not your mama's potato salad, nor is it even the Barefoot Contessa's. It's mine. And, dare I say it . . . . it's delicious.




I had a lovely bunch of radishes from our garden tubs that I wanted to use. Fresh radishes, just picked are a wonderfully tasty ingredient. I also had some French Haricot beans that I wanted to use up as well, a most delicious addition.

We ate this yesterday, Al Fresco, with some tasty burgers and ice cold lemonade. It was wonderful . . . quite simply wonderful.





*Not Your Mama's Potato Salad*
Serves 4 to 5
Printable Recipe

Easy to make, refreshing and probably quite different than anything your mother every made. This is incredibly moreish.

2 1/2 pounds waxy new potatoes, such as charlotte, halved if large
5 or 6 radishes, trimmed and finely sliced
3 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
1/2 a punnet of mustard cress, trimmed
a handful of french haricot green beans, trimmed and cut into 2 inch lengths
Dressing:
2 TBS creamed horseradish
juice of 1/2 lemon
4 TBS good olive oil
2 TBS french mayonnaise


Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, adding the green beans during the last five minutes of cooking. Drain well and then tip into a large salad bowl.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour them over the potatoes and beans. Season with some sea salt and cracked black pepper and toss together. Leave to cool.

Add the radishes, spring onions and cress, gently tossing all together. Serve at room temperature.

Note - PEI from Canada, Welcome! In answer to your question, 215g of butter is slightly less than one cup. Measure out one cup and then remove a TBS of the butter and you should be ok! I just know you will love the Sticky Toffee Pudding bars! They're wonderfully delicious!

9 comments

  1. Well Marie how do you do three blogs and all the other things,as well as work so hard in your employment,thats my question heeeeee.I have no idea how my mind boggles..I too love potato salad.Love cold new potato anytime as much as ice cream,but ice cream doesn't like me,so I have to eat very little of it Grrr.Your potato salad sounds and looks simply delicious as usual.I could just eat it for breakfast LOL!!Now that I live alone Marie.I find it much easier to NOT cook.My motto now as I have told Angy is.
    "Keep Motherhens Kitchen Clean" EAT OUT " lol!!I am suprized you havn't opened your own eating place Marie and I am sure it would be a Gold Mine in no time at all.Haaaa.Take Care God Bless Kath xx

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  2. I love potato salad too..I usually add Kosher Dill Pickles..but I think I would love your horseradish tip!

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  3. I can't pre boil my Charlottes because Keith can't keep his hands off them. Every time he passes the fridge he has to open the door and eat a few!

    love, Angie, xx

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  4. This is definitely not my momma's potato salad...tee-hee...LOVE the addition of radish and greens...mmm... Happy Day, Marie dear friend :o) ((BIG HUGS))

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  5. Dear Marie, your potatoes look absolutely yummy, delicious!! I love potatoes recipe!!!
    Marie if you didint see me the past days I wasnt Internet, by three days, (sniff,snif) now Im OK again with internet, huggs and kisses!!! Gloria

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  6. This does look so yummy that I may have to run off to the store to buy the ingredients.... but I think it will be worth it. Like you, I love potato salad... I love potatoes any way they are cooked.

    I always enjoy fixing your recipes because then it is like you are joining me for dinner. How i wish that we lived closer and it could really be so my friend.... upps... here I am getting all teary... I mustn't do that because I see that it is finally 10 am and time to call you.... so goodbye.... I will be saying hello to you in a minute...XOXOX Lura

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  7. That potato salad really does look wonderful! I'm a little afraid of horseradish, I'd be willing to try for this :)

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  8. What a great looking potato salad, like you I do like potato salad. I will be trying this recipe out - thank you.

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  9. I LOVE THIS BLOG! WHY DID I NOT FIND YOU SOONER XXXX

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