Verena's Potato Salad
Growing up in Germany, Verena remembers two camps when it came to potato salad: camp mayo and camp oil/broth. This is an oil/broth-based version, more prevalent in the southern parts of Germany, specifically Swabia and Bavaria. It's less heavy and claggy than the mayo variety and gets its creaminess from the starch released by the potatoes as they sit for a couple of hours in the warm broth. We've strayed from tradition and added some pancetta (because, why not...) and a welcome freshness from some chopped cucumber.
Method
Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.
Step 1
Put the potatoes into a medium saucepan, for which you have a lid. Add just enough water to cover, salt generously and place on a medium-high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 20-25 minutes, until just tender. Drain and, once cool enough to handle, remove the skins from the potatoes and slice into ½cm-thick rounds. Set aside in a medium bowl.
Step 2
Put 2 tablespoons of the oil (if cooking for 4) into a medium sauté pan and place on a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring regularly, until caramelised. Add the garlic and stock, bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Add the mustard, vinegar, salt, the pepper and another 2 tablespoons of oil (if cooking for 4). Whisk to combine, then pour the mixture over the potatoes. Mix gently but thoroughly: it will look wet (and some of the potatoes will break up), but this is normal. Set aside for as long as you can for the potatoes to soak up about half the broth, and then stir in the finely chopped chives.
Step 3
Meanwhile, wipe clean the sauté pan and place on a medium-high heat. Add the pancetta, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper - leave a little fat in the pan - and set aside. Once cool, finely chop the pancetta into crumbs.
Step 4
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the fat in the pan, along with the paprika. Stir for 30 seconds or so, until fragrant, then remove from the heat.
Step 5
When ready to serve, fold the cucumber into the potato salad and transfer to a serving plate. Scatter over the pancetta crumbs, along with the cut chives. Spoon over the paprika oil and serve.
- Ingredients
- Based on 4 servings
-
175ml Chicken Stock 1x Sainsbury's Chicken Stockpots x4 112g -
1 Onions, finely chopped 1x Sainsbury's Onions Loose -
1 Garlic Cloves, crushed 1x Sainsbury's Garlic -
75g Diced Smoked Pancetta 1x Sainsbury's Inspired to Cook Italian Beechwood Smoked Diced Pancetta 200g -
500g Waxy New Potatoes 1x Sainsbury's British Gems New Potatoes, Taste the Difference 750g -
Maldon Salt, to taste 1x Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g -
15g Chives, 2/3rds chopped, 1/3rd cut into 1.5cm lengths 1x Sainsbury's Bunched Chives 20g -
2 tsp Dijon Mustard 1x Sainsbury's Dijon Mustard 185g -
2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar 1x Aspall Classic Apple Cyder Vinegar 350ml -
1 tsp Paprika 1x Sainsbury's Paprika 44g -
0.5 Cucumber, sliced lengthways, deseeded and diced 1x Sainsbury's Whole Cucumber -
3 tbsp Olive Oil 1x Sainsbury's Olive Oil 500ml