40 TO 50 SERVINGS AS PART OF A BUFFET
There are a million recipes for potato salad, and this one makes it a million and one. Toasted mustard seeds impart a lovely nutty flavor and surprising crunch. If you prefer, you can skip them and call it Double-Mustard Potato Salad. Needless to say, the better the mustard you use, the better this salad will be.
8 pounds red-skinned potatoes
22⁄3 cups mayonnaise
1⁄3 cup grainy mustard, such as Pommery
1⁄3 cup sharp Dijon mustard, preferably imported
1⁄3 cup fresh lemon juice
1⁄3 cup mustard seeds
1⁄3 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Put the potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender; the potato will slip off a knife inserted into the center when it’s done. Drain and let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch chunks.
2. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, grainy mustard, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice; mix well.
3. In a large serving bowl, combine the potatoes and mustard dressing. Toss to coat.
4. Combine the mustard seeds and olive oil in a medium covered skillet. Cook over moderate heat with the lid on, shaking the pan, until the seeds start to pop, 1 to 2 minutes (you’ll hear them). Immediately remove from the heat and keep shaking the pan with the lid on until they stop popping. Scrape the seeds and oil over the potato salad and fold gently to mix them in. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (The potato salad can be made up to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate.)