Warm Potato Salad
SERVES: 4 TO 6
PRESSURE LEVEL: HIGH
RELEASE: QUICK
TOTAL TIME: ABOUT 30 MINUTES
TIME UNDER PRESSURE: 7 MINUTES
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS You don’t often think of salad and pressure cooker in the same sentence, but we realized using our pressure cooker was perfect for making a quick batch of warm German-style potato salad. Adding vinegar to the cooking water helped our potato chunks retain their shape during the brief 7-minute cooking time. We built up the dressing by cooking bacon in the pot, then some red onion in the rendered fat. After adding vinegar and some of the potato cooking water, we simmered it down to ensure concentrated flavor. Whole-grain mustard added the right bite, then we tossed in the potatoes, bacon, and some parsley, and our salad was ready. You can serve this salad cold too; simply season to taste before serving. See the step shot and Troubleshooting that follows the recipe.
INGREDIENTS
|
2 |
pounds red potatoes, cut into ¾-inch pieces |
|
1½ |
cups water |
|
6 |
tablespoons distilled white vinegar |
|
Salt and pepper |
|
|
4 |
slices bacon, chopped fine |
|
1 |
small red onion, chopped fine |
|
1¼ |
teaspoons sugar |
|
2 |
teaspoons whole-grain mustard |
|
3 |
tablespoons minced fresh parsley |
1. HIGH PRESSURE FOR 7 MINUTES: Place potatoes, water, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and ½ teaspoon salt in pressure-cooker pot. Lock pressure-cooker lid in place and bring to high pressure over medium-high heat. As soon as pot reaches high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 7 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.
2. QUICK RELEASE PRESSURE: Remove pot from heat. Quick release pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
3. BEFORE SERVING: Reserve ¾ cup potato cooking water, then drain potatoes in colander and toss gently to remove excess water. Cook bacon in now-empty pot over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes; transfer to paper towel–lined plate. Pour off all but 4 tablespoons bacon fat.
4. Add onion and sugar to fat left in pot and cook over medium heat until softened and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in remaining ¼ cup vinegar and ½ cup reserved cooking water and simmer until dressing measures ⅔ cup, about 3 minutes. Off heat, whisk in mustard. Add drained potatoes, bacon, and parsley and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Before serving, fold in remaining cooking water as needed to adjust consistency.
VARIATIONS
Warm French Potato Salad
Omit bacon and sugar. Substitute 6 tablespoons white wine vinegar for distilled white vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard for whole-grain mustard, and 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon for parsley. Add ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil to pot with onion in step 4.
Warm Lemon-Dill Potato Salad
Omit bacon and sugar. Substitute 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar for distilled white vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard for whole-grain mustard, and 3 tablespoons minced fresh dill for parsley. Add ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil to pot with onion in step 4. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice with reserved cooking water in step 4.