Eric Ripert's Baby Potato Salad

I have been dieting for the past three months, and it has been going really well, but one of the things I have been craving like crazy is potato salad. I haven't stopped thinking about it for weeks! So, imagine my delight when I was looking through Eric Ripert's recipes and found a simple recipe for this Baby Potato Salad. Score!

Ripert's recipes can be somewhat fussy and require lots of ingredients and steps. Since it's a holiday weekend, and I didn't have hours to spend in the kitchen, I was thrilled with the ease of this recipe. Baby potatoes, a homemade mayonnaise, mustard, and chives. It couldn't be less fussy if it tried!

Now I'm sure the whole point of this recipe is to make the mayonnaise yourself.  I have no doubt that his homemade recipe for mayo is on point and makes the whole dish extra special. However, homemade mayo with egg yolk and all that oil isn't the healthiest for my diet, so I opted to use a store-bought light mayo. Blasphemy, I know.

In addition, Ripert's recipe didn't call for hard-cooked eggs and potato salad isn't potato salad without them, so I had to add a few in. The result was delicious and the potato salad really hit the spot! This was the perfect side dish for our Memorial Day cookout, alongside some burgers, corn on the cob, and watermelon. Summer is officially here!!

Baby Potato Salad

recipe via bon appetit

by Eric Ripert

8 servings

2 pounds baby Yukon Gold or red-skinned potatoes, about 36, unpeeled (cut to your preference)

salt

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Notes: In the interest of making mine a bit lighter I used a light mayo in place of the homemade mayo.  I also used standard mustard in place of spicy brown mustard. I like hard-cooked eggs in my potato salad so I added four hard-cooked eggs, three diced into the salad, and one cut in half to garnish the top. I also halved the recipe.

Place potatoes in a large pot and add cold water to cover by 2 inches, season generously with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently until potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes. Drain and let potatoes cool slightly. Peel, if desired.

Meanwhile, whisk egg yolk and vinegar in a large bowl; season with salt. Whisking constantly, gradually add oil, drop by drop at first, and whisk until mayonnaise is thick and creamy. Whisk in mustard.  

Add warm potatoes to bowl with mayonnaise and toss to coat; season with salt. Fold in chives just before serving.