Citrus and spice: Yotam Ottolenghi's potato salad recipes | Food (2024)

Yotam Ottolenghi recipes

The potato gets a makeover in these salads: one a Nepalese dish singing with tangy spices, the other a riot of smoky tomato and citrus

Yotam Ottolenghi

Sat 20 Mar 2021 05.30 EDT

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The starting point for most of my recipes are the vegetables that are in season. Truth be told, there are one or two vegetables that make me wonder how many more ways they can be seen in a new light (not that I don’t adore it, but sorry, asparagus), but not the potato. What some call the “humble” spud, I think of as the most versatile, ever-surprising and flexible of vegetables. This comes not only from how different one variety is from the next – from waxy to floury, nutty to creamy, dry to buttery, and so on – but also from how much can be done with each type of potato itself. Even zooming in on one world, as I do today with potato salad, merely opens new worlds of possibility, texture and flavour.

Nepalese potato salad (pictured top)

Everyone who loves potato salad thinks their version is the best, so thanks to Chaya’s friend Neha for sharing her favourite Nepalese version, which celebrates tangy tamarind and fresh coriander, and letting my team play around with it. If possible, do start off with tamarind from a block, because homemade puree is so much more balanced (tangy, but less acidic) than many ready-made ones. This works really well as a standalone dish, served with some yoghurt, but it also goes with simply grilled meat, fish and even aubergine.

Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 4

For the chilli pickle
4 green chillies (35g), thinly sliced on an angle
3 tbsp cider vinegar
Salt
¼ tsp caster sugar

For the potatoes
1kg large desiree potatoes, peeled, cut into quarters lengthways, then each quarter cut in half widthways
200g ghee
1 large onion
(330g), peeled and thinly sliced
7g curry leaves (about 5 stems)
7 garlic cloves (40g), peeled and thinly sliced
80g coriander, 2½-3 tbsp (10g) leaves picked and kept aside to garnish, the rest roughly chopped

For the spice mix
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp nigella seeds
80g sesame seeds
, plus 20g extra, toasted, to serve
1 tsp ground turmeric
80g tamarind from a block
, soaked in 100ml boiling water and sieved to collect about 120g puree

In a small, non-reactive bowl, mix the chillies with the vinegar, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and the sugar, and set aside to pickle (if you like, do this up to a day ahead).

Put two and a half litres of water and three tablespoons of salt in a large saucepan and set on a high heat. Bring to a boil, add the potatoes and cook for 20 minutes, until tender but not broken down, then drain.

Meanwhile, melt the ghee in a large saute pan on a medium-high heat, then add the onion, curry leaves, garlic and chopped coriander, and fry, stirring regularly, for 15 minutes, until the onions are soft and starting lightly to caramelise.

In the small bowl of a food processor or mortar, coarsely grind the mustard, nigella and sesame seeds, add to the onion pan with the turmeric and fry for a minute. Stir in the tamarind paste, take the pan off the heat, then gently stir in the potatoes until well coated in the spiced onion mixture and set aside for five minutes to absorb the flavours.

Transfer the potatoes to a large platter, or individual plates, scatter the pickled chillies, toasted sesame seeds and reserved coriander on top and serve warm or at room temperature.

Potato salad with charred tomato and orange salsa

The salsa with these potatoes is inspired by sikil p’ak, a Mayan paste made from toasted pumpkin seeds, charred tomatoes and chillies, orange and cumin. Any excess pumpkin seeds will keep in an airtight jar for two weeks.

Prep 15 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 2

800g baby new potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 2cm pieces
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
2 tsp lime juice
3 spring onions
, trimmed and finely sliced (40g)
Salt

For the spicy, sticky seeds
100g pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp maple syrup

For the charred salsa
500g datterini or cherry tomatoes
3 large red chillies
(50g)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp orange zest
3 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp maple syrup

Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. Mix all the ingredients for the seeds with a quarter-teaspoon of salt, spread out on a tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake, stirring every now and again, for 16 minutes, until well toasted and caramelised. Remove and set aside to cool.

Turn the oven to the highest grill setting. Put the tomatoes and chillies on a medium tray, grill near the top of the oven for 16 minutes, until nicely blackened in places, then remove and set aside to cool. Turn off the grill for now.

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Add plenty of salt, turn down the heat to medium and simmer for about eight minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through but not falling apart. Drain well, then return the potatoes to the pan and add the oil, lime juice and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt.

Roughly chop the charred chillies (remove and discard the seeds and pith, if you prefer less heat) and tomatoes to a salsa consistency, then tip into a bowl and stir in all the remaining salsa ingredients and a half-teaspoon of salt.

Turn the oven to the highest grill setting. Add half the salsa to the potato pan and stir to combine. Tip the other half on to an oven tray, spread out and grill for eight minutes, until it starts to brown on top.

To serve, tip out the potatoes on to a platter and spoon the grilled salsa on top. Scatter over the spring onions and some of the pumpkin seeds (you won’t need them all, so keep any leftovers for snacking on), finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt, and serve warm.

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Citrus and spice: Yotam Ottolenghi's potato salad recipes | Food (2024)

FAQs

How to make potato salad Martha Stewart? ›

Directions
  1. Put potatoes in a large pot of salted water; bring to a boil. Cook until just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain; let cool.
  2. Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and dill; season with salt and pepper. Peel potatoes; cut into 1-inch chunks. Fold into mayonnaise mixture.
Feb 25, 2021

What do you eat with potato salad? ›

Just about any meat dish can go well with potato — here are some of the popular and some you may not have thought about before.
  • Lemon chicken. 20 Clove Garlic Chicken with Lemon Butter. ...
  • Bratwurst. Ale-Braised Bratwurst and Sauerkraut. ...
  • Ribs. ...
  • BBQ grilled chicken breasts. ...
  • Steak. ...
  • Hot dogs. ...
  • Ham Steak. ...
  • Fried chicken.
Jun 16, 2022

Why don't you peel potatoes for potato salad? ›

There's no reason at all, so my advice is to leave the skins on. The skin on a potato adds a nice texture and flavor to the potato salad and it's also the healthiest part.

How to keep potatoes from falling apart when making potato salad? ›

Taste of Home Deputy Food Editor James Schend suggests adding a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar to the water before it comes to a simmer, which will help create a “crust” on the potatoes. This way, they'll be less likely to fall apart.

What herbs are in potato salad Ina Garten? ›

Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl and pour enough dressing over them to moisten. (As the salad sits, you may need to add more dressing.) Add the onion, tarragon and parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend.

Is it better to make potato salad the night before? ›

Yes, and PLEASE do, chilling your salad will only make it more flavorful! You can make the Potato salad 1 or 2 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I often make my potato salad the night before serving for best results.

Do you have to wait for potatoes to cool before making potato salad? ›

Yes, if your potato salad is a cold salad, as most are, allow the cooked potatoes to cool to room temperature before adding the dressing and other ingredients.

What goes bad in potato salad first? ›

But the truth is, mayonnaise isn't your main concern when it comes to spoilage. The actual culprit is the potatoes. Yes, it's true!

What is in Walmart potato salad? ›

POTATOES, MAYONNAISE (SOYBEAN OIL, WATER, EGG YOLKS, VINEGAR, SALT), MUSTARD (WATER, VINEGAR, MUSTARD SEED, SALT, SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, TURMERIC, PAPRIKA, GARLIC POWDER, SPICES, ANNATTO EXTRACT (COLOR], XANTHAN GUM, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR), DILL PICKLE CUBES (CUCUMBER VINEGAR, SALT, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, NATURAL ...

Why is my potato salad bland? ›

Forgetting To Salt The Water

Just as you would with pasta, seasoning the water is the only way to flavor the potatoes themselves. The vegetable absorbs the water it's cooked in, so if you just boil them in unseasoned water, you'll end up with tasteless taters that no amount of mayo, herbs, or bacon bits can help.

Is it okay to eat potato salad everyday? ›

Most potato salads are not healthy to eat, because they are usually made with gobs of mayo and/or sour cream, a high-fat ingredient (and we're not talking the good kind of fat). Greek yogurt offers the same creaminess as mayo, but with the bonus of health benefits, like protein and calcium.

Is potato salad good for your stomach? ›

Cold cooked potatoes are great for your gut health because they contain resistant starch which help feed the beneficial bacteria.

When should you throw out potato salad? ›

Just like regular potato salad you have up to five days to consume it, if stored properly. Is it safe to eat week-old potato salad? The USDA doesn't recommend consuming potato salad that's more than five days old.

What is potato salad dressing made of? ›

Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in large glass or plastic bowl. Add potatoes, celery and onion; toss. Stir in eggs. Sprinkle with paprika.

What makes homemade potato salad watery? ›

Potatoes can retain moisture. To prevent this, drain the potatoes very well in a colander or pot. Allow all the steam to escape the potatoes before mixing them with the dressing and other ingredients.

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