salads and sides:
potato salad
Published 16th March 2018
A potato salad is a fabulous addition to any barbecue and is also a good alternative to mashed potato, jacket potato or oven baked potatoes. The other bonus is that it is actually quick and easy to make, with the most time-consuming part being waiting for the potatoes to cool.
A lot of potato salads use mayonnaise and sour cream as the dressing, but I like to use a thick Greek style yoghurt with a small amount of mayonnaise and herbs and mustard to give the flavours. The yoghurt makes the dressing higher protein and lower fat than if you were to use mayo and sour cream.
The humble potato often gets a bad wrap, being a high GI carbohydrate, but it is actually very good for you. It is a good source of dietary fibre, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate and potassium. The key is to not go overboard. By cooking and cooling a potato (as you would in a cold potato salad) the starch structure of the potato actually changes, increasing the resistant starch, which resists digestion and promotes gut health, feeding the good bacteria in the large bowel. A cooked and cooled potato is also a lower GI option, meaning that it causes less of a spike in blood sugar levels, making it more suitable for individuals with insulin resistance or Diabetes. I also like to leave the skins on for a potato salad, as a lot of the nutrients in a potato are stored in the skin, and the skin adds more dietary fibre to the dish. You can also use sweet potato or a combination of the two for something different.
Another thing to keep in mind when making a potato salad is to use the number of small-medium potatoes per person you are feeding. ie. if you are feeding 4 people, use 4 small to medium potatoes to get the portions right.
If you are time poor, you could boil the potatoes and leave them to cool in the fridge overnight or throughout the day and then pull them out, put the dressing together and you would have a potato salad in about 5 minutes at the end of the day.
I have found that the kids can be hit and miss with potato salad, even though potatoes are one of their favourite foods. Kids, in general, often prefer foods that are less flavoursome and blander than adults and I think that it is the dressing that throws them. Often, when we have potato salad, if I can’t be bothered enduring the battle, I will just leave some potatoes out undressed, so they can just have boiled potatoes instead – makes for more peaceful mealtimes!!
Enjoy xx
Ingredients:
Serves 4
4 small to medium potatoes
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 rashers bacon, fat trimmed, diced
2 eggs, hard boiled (optional)
3-4 heaped tbs thick Greek style yoghurt
1 1/2 tbs whole egg mayonnaise
1 small gherkin, finely diced
1 tsp baby capers, finely chopped
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbs dill, finely chopped + a sprinkle to garnish
1 tbs parsley, finely chopped + a sprinkle to garnish
Salt and pepper
Method:
Chop potatoes into 2-3cm cubes and place into a pot of boiling water. Cook for ~15 minutes or until potato is tender but still holds its shape. Once cooked, drain water and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Allow to cool slightly before refrigerating to cool completely.
If using eggs, place them into the boiling water with the potato to cook.
Heat a medium sized frypan over medium heat. Add bacon and onion and cook, stirring, until bacon starts to colour, and onion becomes translucent. Allow to cool.
To make the dressing, combine yoghurt, mayonnaise, gherkin, capers, mustards, dill and parsley into a small bowl. Mix well to combine and season with salt and pepper.
Once the potato is cool, place into a large bowl. Peel and roughly chop the eggs (if using) and add to the potato along with the bacon and onion. Place dressing on top and using a large spoon or your hands, gently mix to coat thoroughly. Place into serving bowl and garnish with reserved herbs.
