By Carmel Karni — See the recipe
This salad is inspired by the Russian Olivier Salad I grew up eating, but I skip the ham and dill and leave the carrots uncooked because I love the extra crunch. I also mix yogurt with the mayonnaise to lighten the dressing. It's an incredibly easy recipe—the only trick is cooking the potatoes just right. They should be tender but still hold their shape. The best way to achieve this is to check them frequently (I find tasting a piece works best) and remove them from the boiling water as soon as they're done.
Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 4 lbs waxy potatoes. Any color or a mix of colors
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 5 hard boiled eggs
- ½ cup chopped pickles, your favorite kind
- 1 large carrot
- ½ red onion
- 1 large bunch chives
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt
- Salt
- Pepper
Peel the potatoes (if you wish) and chop them into ½ inch cubes. Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with heavily salted cold water, and bring to a boil. Mix the mustard and balsamic in a small bowl and set aside. Start checking the potatoes for doneness as soon as the water boils, you want them to be just cooked through, or else they will become mush when mixed into the salad. Pour the potatoes into a colander as soon as they are done. Return the potatoes to the pot, pour the balsamic-dijon mixture on the potatoes and mix them gently. Then move the potatoes to a cookie sheet to cool and prevent them from cooking further. Chop all other ingredients into ¼ inch dice. Mince the chives. Place cooled potatoes, veggies and eggs into a large bowl, add the mayo and yogurt. Mix. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to your liking. Let the salad rest in the fridge for a minimum of an hour, but it’s best if it rests overnight.
Note: If you have fresh peas, I add them uncooked to this salad. It adds another layer of sweet crunch.
