This was done for the 2010 Harvest Fair and uses a vinaigrette instead of mayonnaise like a German potato salad. Unlike German potato salad, this one has no bacon and is served cold. Romanze potatoes are originally from Germany and would be perfect for this recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds potatoes-8 to 10 medium, (Romanze, Yukon Gold, etc.) peeled (optional) and sliced ¼ inch 1 fennel bulb, stalks removed and reserved, diced ¼ inch (at least 1 cup by volume diced) -OPTIONAL- 1 cup thinly sliced scallions or diced onion ¼ cup salt 1½ cups Cider Fennel Vinaigrette (recipe follows) Salt and pepper to taste ½ cup fennel fronds, chopped
METHOD:
Place potatoes into a pot at least 4 inches higher than the volume of potatoes. Fill with cold water and rinse potatoes a couple times.
Fill the pot with cold water, covering the potatoes by 2½ inches and add the salt.
Bring the potatoes to a boil, and then lower heat so potatoes are simmering gently. Boiling will break the potatoes and can lead to gummy tasting potatoes.
Make the vinaigrette now if you have not already.
Have ready a non-reactive bowl large enough to accommodate all the ingredients. Pour just enough dressing into the bowl to coat the bottom.
As soon as the potatoes are no longer raw-when the tip of a knife slips into a potato slice easily, or, you can just bite into a slice and you can tell-tip the pan contents into a large colander and drain well.
While still hot, tip the potatoes into the bowl with the dressing. Swirl the bow to spread the dressing around. Drizzle more dressing over the potatoes, and gently toss to coat all the slices with the dressing. As the potatoes cool, they will absorb the dressing. Add enough dressing so the potatoes have a light shine.
Sprinkle the diced fennel over the top of the potatoes and toss to mix in evenly with the potato. If using the onion, add it now with the fennel.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. If needed, add more dressing.
Sprinkle with the chopped fennel fronds and gently mix in. Go lightly; too much of the fronds tend to make the salad taste too herbaceous.
Serve as is or chill before serving.
Chef’s Notes and Tips:
To give the salad a Provencal bent, use white wine vinegar and lemon juice with some garlic for the dressing, and add slivers of olive to the salad- oil cured olives would be good here, along with some capers perhaps. For a Spanish flair, try sherry vinegar for the dressing and be sure to add some pimenton de la Vera (smoked paprika). Add some diced piquillo peppers and brined olives or caper berries in lieu of fennel, adding in some celery instead for the crunch.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
HGHF Potato Salad Dressing (Cider Fennel Vinaigrette)
This dressing is for a German style potato salad, but works well as a dressing for lettuces as well. The fennel takes it into a Mediterranean direction, so if you want a true German style dressing eliminate the fennel and go with some caraway instead, but go lightly with that. Caraway can easily take over a dish. This recipe makes more than enough dressing for the potato salad recipe, but better more than not enough. If you just want the dressing for a salad, halve the recipe. Toasting the fennel seeds in this recipe give them a sweeter, drier flavor. Untoasted, the seeds are stronger and have a more licorice-like flavor. Using half and half will add another layer to the flavors. You could also use this recipe for a slaw with cabbage, carrots, and fennel.
INGREDIENTS:
¾ cup apple cider vinegar ½ -1 tablespoon fennel seed, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant and powdered, or toast only half the amount salt and pepper to taste 2 teaspoons sugar or to taste (Agave syrup works here also, and you could use honey, but use a light flavored one or you will overwhelm the dressing.) 1-1½ tablespoons minced shallot 1-2 tablespoons Dijon style mustard 2¼ cups light flavored olive oil
METHOD:
Put the vinegar in a large non-reactive bowl, and add the fennel powder. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes so the fennel flavor permeates the vinegar.
Add some salt and pepper, the sugar, and the shallot to the bowl. Whisk in and then add the mustard and whisk that in as well.
Begin adding the oil in a thin steady stream, whisking all the time. Continue whisking in the oil until an emulsion forms and the dressing is “tight”- the oil and vinegar are mixed so they are one and there is no obvious separation of the two. You might not need all the oil.
Store in the refrigerator until needed.
Chef’s Tips and Notes:
Toasted fennel has a maple note to it, so you could change this dressing by using maple syrup instead of sugar or agave as the sweetener. The dressing would then be good for a sauce on pork chops. Add a little rosemary or thyme to the dressing for this. To make a much more German style dressing, add caraway instead of fennel seeds, and you could even use a little bacon fat in the oil. Don’t forget to switch to a neutral flavored oil like grapeseed instead of olive oil. For a Spanish flair, use sherry vinegar and smoked paprika (pimenton de la Vera).
Yield: Around 3 cups
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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