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Golden smashed fingerlings with lacquered edges, dressed warm in a punchy whole grain mustard vinaigrette that soaks into every crevice. This is potato salad with backbone, worthy of your best backyard spread.
The Germans understood something about potato salad that Americans forgot somewhere along the way. They dressed their potatoes warm, when the starch was still receptive, when the vinegar could penetrate and the mustard could cling. Then we buried ours in mayonnaise and called it progress.
This recipe reclaims that wisdom and adds an American flourish: we smash the potatoes first and crisp them in a hot pan. Those shattered edges turn golden and caramelized, creating texture that no boiled potato can match. When the warm dressing hits those craggy surfaces, it finds purchase in every crack and crater. The result is potato salad with architecture.
Fingerlings are the potato for this job. Their waxy flesh holds together under pressure while their thin skins crisp beautifully. Look for them at farmers markets from late spring through fall, or in the specialty section of better groceries year-round. Yellow Finns or Russian Banana varieties work particularly well, though any fingerling will serve you honestly.
I've served this at countless summer gatherings, and it disappears faster than anything else on the table. Make it the morning of your cookout and hold it at room temperature. Unlike its mayonnaise-laden cousins, this salad improves as it sits, the flavors deepening and melding into something greater than their parts.
Quantity
2 pounds
Quantity
1/4 cup, divided
Quantity
3 tablespoons
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
1 tablespoon
Quantity
1 small
minced
Quantity
1/4 cup
roughly chopped
Quantity
4
thinly sliced
Quantity
to taste
Quantity
to taste
freshly cracked
Quantity
for finishing
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| fingerling potatoes | 2 pounds |
| extra-virgin olive oil | 1/4 cup, divided |
| whole grain mustard | 3 tablespoons |
| apple cider vinegar | 2 tablespoons |
| honey | 1 tablespoon |
| shallotminced | 1 small |
| fresh dillroughly chopped | 1/4 cup |
| scallionsthinly sliced | 4 |
| kosher salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly cracked | to taste |
| flaky sea salt (optional) | for finishing |
Place fingerlings in a large pot and cover with cold water by two inches. Add salt generously, about two tablespoons per quart. The water should taste like the sea. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook until a paring knife slides through the largest potato without resistance, 15 to 20 minutes depending on size. The potatoes should be tender throughout but not falling apart.
Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them steam dry for five minutes. This step matters. Wet potatoes will sputter dangerously in hot oil and won't crisp properly. You want the surface moisture gone but the interior still warm and yielding.
Transfer potatoes to a cutting board. Using the bottom of a sturdy glass, a measuring cup, or a potato masher, press down firmly on each potato until it flattens to about half an inch thick. You want them cracked open and craggy, not pulverized into mash. Some will split apart. That's fine. Those broken pieces crisp up beautifully.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in your largest skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and a tiny piece of potato sizzles on contact. Working in batches to avoid crowding, lay the smashed potatoes in a single layer. Season with kosher salt. Let them cook undisturbed for four to five minutes until the bottoms turn deep golden brown. Flip and repeat on the second side. Transfer to a large mixing bowl as each batch finishes. Add more oil between batches as needed.
While the last batch crisps, whisk together the whole grain mustard, apple cider vinegar, honey, and minced shallot in a small bowl. The honey balances the mustard's heat and helps the dressing cling. Slowly drizzle in the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil while whisking to create a loose emulsion. Season with salt and several grinds of black pepper. Taste it. The dressing should be assertive, tangy, and slightly sweet.
Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes and toss gently with a rubber spatula, taking care not to break them into pieces. The residual heat opens the starch and allows the dressing to absorb. Add three-quarters of the dill and scallions and fold them through. The herbs will soften slightly from the warmth.
Transfer to a serving platter or shallow bowl. Scatter the remaining dill and scallions over the top for freshness and color. Finish with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve warm or at room temperature. The salad holds well for several hours without refrigeration, and the flavors improve as they meld.
1 serving (about 180g)
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