WEEK 50: YOUR BEST POTATO SALAD RECIPE
Spanish Roasted Potato Salad
Photography by Sarah Shatz
BY MYSOCIALCHEF | SERVES 3 TO 4
A&M: “A few years ago my sister and her husband invited me to a Spanish restaurant in New Jersey for dinner,” wrote MySocialChef, “I really don’t like leaving the city, but they promised me it was well worth it. I got my visa, filled the car with gas, and punched the address into Paula, my GPS navigation device. All the food seemed pretty typical, but I had these amazing roasted potatoes that I couldn’t get enough of. I asked the waiter what was in them, and the only thing he would tell me was garlic. I asked another waiter, and he said mayonnaise.” Attempting to re-create his discovery, MySocialChef came up with this smart play on Spanish patatas bravas. Instead of frying the potatoes, he has you roast them, and rather than making your own homemade mayonnaise, you sharpen store-bought mayonnaise with lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and a whole lot of garlic. You’ll breathe fire for days, but the suffering you inflict on others is worth it!
1 pound small potatoes (white or red), scrubbed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1¼ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and put them in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, ¾ teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper and mix to coat. Spread the potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake the potatoes for 40 minutes, flipping twice during baking. Make sure they turn a nice golden brown. Take them out of the oven and allow to cool.
- In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, the garlic, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and mustard. Mix and pour over the cooled potatoes. Toss to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Photography by Sarah Shatz
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
OldGrayMare: “Suggest you add a tad bit of paprika (smoked or plain) to the seasonings before roasting … this just deepens the flavor.”
Seshirkey: “My only adjustment was to use 1½ pounds of potatoes, and I still didn’t need to use all of the sauce. It’s got a lot of kick, and I think too much mayo overwhelms it. Also, my boss mentioned that she substituted Greek yogurt in place of the mayo and she loved it.”
ABOUT THE COOK
Petrit Husenaj is a caterer and event planner in New York City. You can read more about his culinary adventures on his blog, MySocialKitchen.com.
His favorite recipe from a cookbook: “Paul’s Zucchini Fritters from I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence by Amy Sedaris.”
His top entertaining tip: “Always buy bread and fish the day of your party.”
WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID
Seshirkey: “This really is the best potato salad I have ever had. I took it to work (where we tend to share recipes a lot) and everyone who tried it had to know where the recipe came from. Thanks for a recipe that I will use over and over!”
Lori: “I made these for a party and they were a huge hit! I have a little of the aioli left and am considering using it to marinate chicken. Can only imagine how tasty that combo will be.”