poke at it with a plastic fork until the burgers are done. At
least that’s what most potato salad is. The problem is, it’s
such a simple dish that it’s often made without thought. Boil
the potatoes, toss them with some mayo, add a few dollops
of whatever condiment catches your fancy, and throw it into
a bowl.
But a well-constructed potato salad can be as interesting
as the burger it precedes (and you know by now how I feel
about burgers). Tangy, salty, and sweet, with a texture that’s
simultaneously creamy, crunchy, and fluffy, a perfect potato
salad should taste featherlight, despite being made with
potatoes and mayo, two of the heaviest ingredients around.
The way I see it, there are three things that can go wrong
with a potato salad. Screw up any one of these, and you’re
quickly going south:
- The potatoes are not flavored all the way to the center.
In a good potato salad, the pieces of potato should be
seasoned all the way through. Their hearty, earthy flavor
does fine on its own or with a bit of salt when hot—but
when cold, it comes across as heavy and bland. Without
plenty of acid and a bit of sweetness to brighten it up,
potato salad is dead in the water. - The potatoes are under- or overcooked. If there’s one
thing I can’t stand, it’s al dente potatoes. Potatoes should
not be crunchy or firm. Nor do you want your potato salad
to be cold mashed potatoes. The perfect piece of potato
should be tender and fluffy all the way through, with the
edges just barely beginning to break down, adding a bit of
potato flavor and body to the dressing.