Potato Salad

A warm, vinaigrette-dressed potato salad — no mayonnaise in sight — heavy on fresh dill and chives. Shallots and garlic slowly fried until crisp infuse the oil with deep flavor, and an extra hit of Dijon gives the dressing more body and bite, tossed with the potatoes while they're still warm so they soak it all up.

A warm, vinaigrette-based potato salad, heavy on fresh herbs.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 lb (900g) new potatoes, halved or quartered if large
• 2/3 cup (160ml) neutral oil
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2-3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 3 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
• Salt and black pepper

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Method

Boil the potatoes

Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold, well-salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until fork-tender, about 15–18 minutes depending on size — starting them in cold water helps them cook evenly all the way through.

Make the dressing

While the potatoes cook, combine the neutral oil with the minced garlic and shallots in a small saucepan over low heat and fry gently, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 8–10 minutes, keeping the heat low so nothing burns and turns bitter. Once golden, remove from the heat and let the oil cool slightly, then whisk the olive oil, Dijon, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar directly into the still-warm garlic and shallot oil — this helps the dressing emulsify and lightly warms through the mustard's flavor.

Toss and finish

Drain the potatoes once tender and let them sit for a couple of minutes to steam off excess moisture. While they're still warm, transfer them to a large bowl and pour the dressing over them, tossing gently to coat — warm potatoes absorb dressing much better than cold ones, so don't wait for them to cool first. Fold in the fresh dill and chives, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm or at room temperature.