Potato salad, refreshed, zingy and sassy

I love the clean, fresh flavours of this dressing. Much as I enjoy a traditional potato salad made with mayonnaise, sometimes throwing out the traditional and ushering in a fresh breeze can perk up a classic dish no end.

The secret to this recipe? A number of things. One is the use of white wine in the dressing, as well as white wine vinegar. There’s a hint of mustard too, some bright crunch from the inclusion of spring onions, and yet more zing from the garlic chives.

If making a greater quantity or feeding a crowd, increase all the ingredients proportionately.

Ingredients

3 or 4 medium to large potatoes, peeled

3 Tbsp dry white wine

2 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp Hot English Mustard

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 slim spring onion, chopped finely

2 garlic chives, chopped finely

Garlic chive flowers for garnish

Garlic chives for garnish

Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

Put the peeled (whole or halved if they’re very big) potatoes in a pot of plenty of salted cold water and bring it to a boil. Boil fairly rapidly until just tender but not so long that they risk disintegrating. About 20 minutes of boiling should be about right but this does depend on the size of the potatoes. Drain and leave to cool completely, then carefully cut them into small cubes and leave to dry.

Spoon the wine and white wine vinegar into a salad bowl and vigorously whisk in the mustard until it melds into the wine and vinegar solution. Add the oil and whisk again, then stir in the chopped spring onions and garlic chives.

Slide in the cubes of cooked potato (which must have no heat left in them, you could even refrigerate them first if you like) and use two wooden spoons or silicone spatulas to toss them carefully so that the dressing coats them all over. Garnish with garlic chive flowers and a couple of garlic chives. DM

Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the year award, in 2021 and 2023

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This dish is photographed on a plate by Mervyn Gers Ceramics.