Homemade Potato Salad

We all know potato salad is a classic for the BBQ season. One of the distinguished sides for the occasion. With it being a classic of the season, why not toss in all the spring bounty. We have bright alliums springing up everywhere. Earthy herbs like parsley and cilantro are Popping up as well. The cream this time of year is also so rich. Combining them all is simply a no-brainer for homemade potato salad. 

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Recipe 

Ingredients 

Homemade Potato salad 

Potatoes 1 LB (492g)

green onion whites 1/3C(22g)

parsley leaves 2/3C (18g)

red onion 1/2C (78g)

creme Fraiche 2/3C(146g)

(or sour cream) 

white vinegar 1/4C (24)

mustard seeds 2Tbsp & 2 tsp (6g)

salt 1 Tbsp (8g)

Procedure

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. 
• Boil the potatoes until a knife slides through like butter and strain. About 20 minutes.
• Cool for at least 15 minutes.
• While the potatoes are cooking, small dice the red onions. Cut the green onion whites into small rounds. Roughly chop the parsley.
• Soak the onion in cold water for 15 minutes. 
• Strain the onions and add the remaining ingredients into a large bowl. 
• Add the potatoes mix until evenly mixed. Avoid overmixing. 
• Allow to cool and enjoy.

Creme Fraiche 

Heavy whipping cream 12oz(355g)

Buttermilk 3Tbsp (43g)

Procedure

• Whisk the buttermilk and cream together, then pour into a plastic or glass jar. 
• Cover the top with a towel or cheesecloth, and use a rubber band to secure it. 
• Set the cream in a room temperature area and let ferment for 24 to 28 hours. 
• After thickening, place in the refrigerator for another 24 hours until use.  
• Store with an airtight lid for up to two weeks. 

notes

Alternatively, you can serve this immediately after mixing everything for a lukewarm potato salad.

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Homemade potato salad and the spring bounty

This homemade potato salad is pretty bright and herbaceous. Reminds me of spring’s bright sun peeking out over the dirt-patched ground. If you aren’t familiar, brightness relates mainly to acidity and sharpness in food. The Sharp bite of alliums, and tang of vinegar all attributes. Bright pops are around every corner of this recipe. Onions, vinegar, mustard, and Creme Fraiche are all culprits. The hearty potatoes help round it out along with the parsley. Soaking the onions in water also helps reduce too much pungency. Onions release an organic sulfur (propanethial-S-oxide) as a defense system when cut. Giving the alliums a quick bath prevents us from adding too much of that. There’s a balanced medium in everything. 

Creme fraiche

Cream Fraiche is basically fancy sour cream. It sounds intimidating but trusts me, it’s the easiest thing in the world. Cream or milk aren’t typically thought of as seasonal, but they sure are. Spring brings the best cream of the year, so the cream Fraiche comes out amazing. You can literally taste the dirt and grass. It may seem weird, but I mean it in the best way possible. It’s also just a great thing to have around. Plop some on toast, tacos, berries, or make cultured butter. 

When Making your creme fraiche make sure to avoid ultra-pasteurized cream and buttermilk. The pasteurization process kills the microbes that turn out heavy cream into fancy sour cream. Pasteurized cream usually works but may take a few extra hours to thicken. 

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I grew up eating the common potato salad full of mayonnaise. as I Grew up I wanted something different. Bright, punchy, and crunchy. That has been my preferred way of making the dish for years now. next time you’re looking for a homemade potato salad you needn’t look anymore.