French Potato Salad

This delicious alternative to creamy potato salad keeps well and is safe to pack along on picnics and for lunches. Since it uses neither mayonnaise nor sweeteners, it’s a healthier version.

Ingredients:

 2 pounds red potatoes, slice before cooking

 1 clove garlic

 ¼ cup potato water

 2 tsp Dijon mustard

 1-1/2 Tbsp. vinegar (champagne or white wine is best)

 ¼ cup olive oil (not a fruity variety)

 ½ Shallot

 Fine Herbs (see below)

o 1-1/2 Tbsp parsley, no stems

o 1 Tbsp chives

o 1-1/2 tsp dried tarragon

o Mince together.

Method:

 Slice potatoes before placing in 6 cups cold water with 2 Tbsp kosher or sea salt.

 Simmer potatoes gently – no boiling.

 While simmering potatoes, blanch 1 clove garlic for 45 seconds in the hot water, then cool in cold water. When cool, mince garlic clove.

 When potatoes are tender but not mushy, drain, reserving ¼ cup potato water. Cool potatoes on flat rimmed tray while dressing is made.

 Mix potato water, Dijon mustard, vinegar, oil, and minced garlic clove.

 Pour dressing over potatoes. Continue to cool and soak the potatoes in the dressing.

 Put dressed potatoes in a serving bowl. Finish with finely minced, raw shallot and Fine Herbs. Carefully toss and serve.

Options and Notes:

The shallot used here is a small bulb that looks more like an onion than green onions. You may substitute finely minced red onion or green onions.

Don’t substitute regular yellow mustard here. The flavor will be too strong.

If you prefer different flavors in the Fine Herbs, feel free to experiment. If you have fresh tarragon or chervil, try adding them.