Potato Salad - General Cooking Principles
Potato salad - one of the most common dishes of European cuisine. The dish is popular in the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria and other countries. The main ingredient of the salad is boiled potatoes, which are complemented by other products (pickled cucumbers, eggs, onions, bacon, etc.). All components are cut, as a rule, in the form of cubes or cubes and mixed with dressing. You can use regular mayonnaise pure or with the addition of sour cream, unsweetened yogurt or vegetable oil.
For the preparation of potato salad it is recommended to take such varieties of potatoes that do not boil soft or crumb. When sliced, the vegetables should not lose their shape when mixed. You can boil the potatoes in advance and place it in the fridge so that it acquires extra hardness. If you add warm potatoes to the salad, then in this case the dressing is better absorbed. Potato salad can serve as a side dish for meat or fish dishes.
Potato Salad - Preparing Food and Dishes
For the preparation of potato salad you will need a pan, a bowl where I will lay out all the ingredients, a knife, a grater and a cutting board. Serve the dish can be in the usual plates. The main component of the salad is potatoes, you can cook both in uniform and in peeled form. However, in the first case, the potatoes will turn out less varied, which is much better for the salad. The remaining ingredients do not require special preparation: boiled eggs, cucumbers and other vegetables are cut into a certain shape.
Potato salad recipes:
Recipe 1: Potato Salad
This German potato salad! The dish does not require too complex products and is prepared very easily. Ingredients Required:
- One pound of potatoes;
- 2 pickled cucumbers;
- 1 tsp. mustard (seed);
- 8-9 salami circles;
- 1 tbsp. l white wine vinegar;
- Mustard (coarse-grained) - 1 tsp;
- 4 tbsp. l olive oil;
- Salt;
- 2 onions;
- A few sprigs of fresh dill;
- Black pepper.
Preparation Method:
Boil the potatoes in a uniform until ready, sue, peel and cut into medium-sized slices. Cucumbers cut into small pieces, slightly squeeze. Onions cut into thin half-rings, salami - in small sticks. Finely chop the dill. Put potatoes, salami, dill, cucumbers and mustard seeds in a salad bowl. Prepare the sauce: mix olive oil, wine vinegar, salt, pepper and mustard. Season the potato salad with the cooked sauce and mix the ingredients thoroughly.
Recipe 2: Potato salad with celery
Despite the fact that there is no meat in this salad, even men will love the dish. This potato salad is not only delicious, but also very satisfying, so it can be served as a separate dish.
Ingredients Required:
- 5-6 medium sized potatoes;
- 4 chicken eggs;
- 7-8 feathers of green onions;
- 1 fresh cucumber;
- Salt, black pepper powder - to taste;
- 4 sprigs of dill;
- 2 celery stalks;
- 2 tbsp. l pumpkin seeds;
- Mayonnaise - 3-4 st. l
Preparation Method:
Boil potatoes until ready (in uniform or without - does not matter), let cool and cut into small cubes. Similarly, chop the stalks of celery and cucumber. Boil eggs hard-boiled, cover with cold water, as they cool down - cut in half and remove the yolks. Finely chop the yolks. Wash and chop the dill. Put potatoes, celery, cucumber, dill, yolks and mayonnaise in a salad bowl. All as it should be mixed. Pepper, salt and add pumpkin seeds. Now you need to arrange and submit the salad. To do this, take 4 halves of eggs and lay out the salad in them. Lapped proteins lay on top of the second half of the egg and tied with green onion feathers. Stuffed eggs lay out on top of the ready potato salad.
Recipe 3: Potato salad with bacon
Incredibly hearty dish, which can please friends and relatives at the holiday table. Potato salad with bacon can be cooked for regular everyday meals.
Ingredients Required:
- One pound of potatoes;
- Salt - 1 tsp. (it is possible and less, depending on taste preferences);
- Hot chicken or vegetable broth (you can take cubes) - 200 ml;
- 3 tbsp. l wine vinegar;
- Mustard - 1 tsp;
- 1 onion;
- Black pepper;
- Green onions;
- Vegetable oil;
- Bacon - 1 pack.
Preparation Method:
Wash the potatoes, put them in boiling salted water right in the skin and cook until ready. Then drain and peel. Chilled potatoes cut into thin slices. Prepare the broth from the meat or vegetable cube and gradually pour it into the potatoes hot. Pour until potatoes are saturated with broth. Prepare the sauce: mix vinegar, pepper, salt, olive oil and mustard, mix everything thoroughly until smooth. Finely chop the onion, chop the green onion in small rings. Combine the potatoes, onions, green onions and sauce in the salad bowl, all the ingredients should be mixed together. Fry bacon and lay it on top of the salad.
Recipe 4: Potato salad with green sweet pepper
American version of a popular European dish. Preparing a salad fairly quickly and easily, despite this turns out to be a complete meal for a family dinner.
Ingredients Required:
- Potatoes - 800-900 g;
- 4-5 chicken eggs;
- 1 medium onion;
- 3 celery stalks;
- Green sweet pepper - 120 g;
- Pickled cucumbers - 120 g;
- 2 tbsp. l apple cider vinegar;
- 1 tbsp. l mustard;
- Mayonnaise - half a cup;
- 1 tsp. celery seeds (if there is no fresh celery);
- Ground black pepper and salt to taste.
Preparation Method:
So that the potatoes do not boil soft, it is better to boil it in uniform. Peel slightly chilled potatoes and cut into small cubes. Put in a deep bowl, salt and pepper and sprinkle with apple cider vinegar. Vinegar should be added only to warm potatoes, otherwise it will not be absorbed. Cook hard-boiled eggs, add water, peel and chop in small cups. Onions finely chopped, celery cut into small cubes. Peppers and cucumbers are also cut into small cubes. Eggs, onions, celery, cucumbers and pepper to put to the potatoes, salt and pepper, add mayonnaise and mustard. All as it should be mixed. It is recommended to place the potato salad in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
Recipe 5: Potato salad with cheese
The unusual combination of ingredients makes the salad different from other dishes. Appetizer will appeal to both men and women. The dish can be served to the festive table in the form of a side dish to the main dish.
Ingredients Required:
- 1 kilogram of potatoes;
- Pepper and salt to taste;
- 2 tsp. cumin;
- Quarter liters of vegetable broth;
- 1 pc. leek;
- Radishes - 8 pcs .;
- 200 g of hard cheese;
- 200 g of mayonnaise;
- 300 g unsweetened yogurt;
- 3-4 tsp. vinegar;
- 2 chicken eggs;
- Chives - a few feathers.
Preparation Method:
Cut leeks into small pieces and boil them in vegetable broth for about 1-2 minutes. Boil potatoes until ready, peel, cut into small cubes and pour broth. Wash radish and cut into 6-8 parts. Add radish to salad, season with a mixture of yogurt, mayonnaise, cumin and vinegar. Grate cheese, boil eggs and cut into 8 slices. Sprinkle the salad with grated cheese and green onion rings, spread egg slices on top.
Potato salad - secrets and tips from the best chefs
The first and most important secret of cooking potato salad is used in the varieties of potatoes. It is recommended to take such varieties that are not boiled soft, otherwise the dish will look like porridge. To make the potatoes harder, you can boil it a few hours before cooking and put in the refrigerator. If marinade or broth is used, it is better to chop the potatoes hot, so that the liquid is well absorbed. Potatoes are boiled both in uniform and in peeled form. In order to give a soft and delicate flavor, you can add a small piece of butter to the potato salad. If the dish is prepared to take with you to nature, it is not recommended to use mayonnaise for dressing. In this case, it is necessary to give preference to vegetable oil.
