Name: Austrian-Style Potato Salad
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Eastern European & GermanEurope
Ingredients: 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4 large), peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth; 1 cup water; Table salt; 1 tablespoon sugar; 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 1 small red onion , chopped fine (about 3/4 cup); 6 cornichons , minced (about 2 tablespoons) (see note); 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives; Ground black pepper

Why This Recipe Works

For a creamy and light potato salad recipe, do as the Austrians do: Ditch the mayo and look to the soup pot. Simmering the potatoes in a shallow pan with chicken stock, water, sugar, and salt yielded deeply flavored potatoes. Yukon Golds had just enough starch to contribute creaminess without breaking apart. To finish our potato salad recipe, we added mashed potatoes to the dressing, which thickened it perfectly.

Before You Begin

The finished salad should be creamy and loose, with chunks of potato that keep their shape but are very tender. If you can’t find cornichons, chopped kosher dill pickles can be used in their place. To maintain its consistency, don’t refrigerate the salad; it should be served within 4 hours of preparation.

Instructions

Bring potatoes, broth, water, 1 teaspoon salt, sugar, and 1 tablespoon vinegar to boil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until potatoes offer no resistance when pierced with paring knife, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove cover, increase heat to high (so cooking liquid will reduce), and cook 2 minutes.

Drain potatoes in colander set over large bowl, reserving cooking liquid. Set drained potatoes aside. Pour off and discard all but ½ cup cooking liquid (if ½ cup liquid does not remain, add water to make ½ cup). Whisk remaining tablespoon vinegar, mustard, and oil into cooking liquid.

Add ½ cup cooked potatoes to bowl with cooking liquid mixture and mash with potato masher or fork until thick sauce forms (mixture will be slightly chunky). Add remaining potatoes, onion, cornichons, and chives, folding gently with rubber spatula to combine. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.