Italian Style Potato Salad

This fresh flavored potato salad is a great alternative to the usual mayonnaise-based salad. The vinegar gives a tangy flavor. Slightly cooking the vegetables makes a unique blend with the potatoes. And remember, great potato salads start with the right potato. See The Right Potato-Salad-Potato.

Ingredients Salad
Serves 6

2-pounds Yukon gold potatoes
6 tablespoons Extra-Virgin olive oil
1 large celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 small bunch, ¼ inch slices of scallions
1 small red onion, thinly sliced, reserve a few slices for garnish
3 cloves garlic, cut into 3 pieces each
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, fresh tarragon or parsley
Salt and pepper to taste


Ingredients Garnish

2 hard cooked eggs, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Few sliced raw red onions, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Put cleaned potatoes in a pot. Add cold water to cover potatoes by ½ inch. Cover and bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat and cook in a soft boil, until they are tender and can be pierced with a fork about 15-20 minutes. Drain immediately, cover and let cool.
2. As potatoes cool, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium high heat. When hot, add scallions, onion and celery, salt and pepper to taste, toss to coat well and cook for about one minute. Add garlic and cook for about two minutes. Remove pan from heat and discard garlic pieces.

3. Peel potatoes. Slice while still warm, cutting them crosswise into ¼ -inch thick sections. Put the pieces in a large mixing bowl, add the vinegar, and toss gently. Add 3 or 4 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and toss gently to distribute.
4. Add the warm vegetables from the pan, chopped herbs, and gently fold all together, mixing well but not crushing the potatoes. Taste the salad and add more seasonings as desired. Arrange the potato salad on serving plate. Scatter parsley and onion slices over the top and sprinkle chopped egg around the edges.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip: Potatoes can be prepared day before. Toss potato slices with a bit of oil to keep them from clumping.

Complementary Wines: Cava, Rully

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