With its cool but moderate climate Canada’s smallest province is ideal for growing potatoes. And when the summer’s first crop of potatoes is ready, that’s the best time for making a country-style potato salad. Enjoy this perfect summer side dish with dinner on the patio, a wharf lunch or a picnic by the beach.
Choosing and preparing the potatoes
For the potatoes, you have a few options. I like to use either the red skin variety or white potatoes like the russet. What works for the reds, is they are on the waxy side with a thin red skin and a white firm flesh. This is ideal for potato salad as they’ll hold their shape after cooking.
Some cooks like to cut them up into large cubes, roughly one-inch-sized. My preference is for smaller cubes, about half-inch sized. Leaving the skins on is another option. This works best with new potatoes. Keeping the skins makes the salad more rustic. It also adds some added texture and colour. And that’s especially the case when using red-skinned potatoes. We’ll use 2 pounds, which is roughly 5 medium-sized potatoes.
Mustard Options
Since we’re going for a country-style salad, the classic whole grain mustard is the way to go here. There are brown and yellow varieties with flavour ranging from mild to moderately sharp with a slight tang. The brown version is often called whole grain Dijon mustard and may be labeled “old-style Dijon” or “Dijon à l’ancienne.” I would not suggest using ground yellow or old English mustard as they tend to be too hot and tangy for a country-style potato salad. However, if using a mild, sweet German mustard, omit the sugar in this recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Of course, this dish is ubiquitous at most summer gatherings in Canada. But a tasty potato salad is a great addition to a lunch buffet at any time of the year. At home, I find this dish makes the perfect side for schnitzel or grilled sausage. You can garnish it with paprika, sliced hard- boiled egg, fresh chopped parsley or even fresh dill.
Safe Handling
Remember to follow safe handling procedures. It is important to keep the salad cold, below at 40 F (4C) before serving. Don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than two hours. If its served outside on a hot day, don’t leave it out more than an hour. A good tip for picnics and buffets is to place the salad bowl over ice, or use a cooler
Tips for making this “country-style”
- Don’t over-cook the potatoes.
- Don’t over-mix – you want chunks, not mashed potatoes.
- Add some hard-boiled eggs, slice as a garnish or chop and blend into the salad.
- Substitute sweet pickle relish for the chopped dill pickle
- Use real mayonnaise, not salad dressing or sandwich spread
- Serve slightly chilled, not ice-cold.
- Use old-fashioned whole grain mustard for a more rustic feel.
Country-Style Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes cut into bite-sized chunks
- 3 tbsp cider vinegar
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 2 green onions chopped
- 3 radishes chopped
- 1 dill pickle chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp old fashioned or whole grain Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- Parsley or paprika for garnish
Instructions
- Add the potatoes to a pot, cover with water. Bring to a boil, bring to medium heat and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until tender. Don’t overcook or they will lose their shape when tossed in the salad.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander, then allow them to cool to about room temperature.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large dish, sprinkle the potatoes with the vinegar, then cover and refrigerate for about an hour.
- One a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper.
- Stir in the diced vegetables followed by the potatoes. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Transfer to a serving dish garnish parsley or paprika.
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