Crispy potato salad
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Duck fat-roasted potatoes
While traditional potato salads have their charm, a duck fat-roasted crispy potato salad, dressed with an unctuous sauce of capers, dill, mustard, chili flakes and cornichons, takes delightfulness to a whole new level. This recipe is a remedy for homesickness, and also serves as a tribute to my grandmother—a wonderful woman who has always delighted in seeing her family savor a plate of delicious food.
The method - a multi-generational approach
“The oil must be hot…”, Dad insisted, ‘‘don’t forget to include that in your recipe!’ Yes chef!
Indeed, mastering the art of achieving the crunchiest yet fluffiest golden-brown potatoes lies entirely in the method, and it was this method that my Grandmother taught my father, who in turn, imparted the knowledge to me.
As you follow the recipe below, you will discover that the secret lies in fluffy potatoes, hot duck fat and plenty of basting.
As for cooking, the process will probably take between 30-45 mins but if, depending on your oven, the potatoes aren’t ready, increase the cooking time in increments of 5 mins until you consider that your potatoes are sufficiently crispy.
A delicious suggestion
Of course, once you have cooked your crispy potatoes to golden-brown perfection you could stop right there and enjoy them straight from the roasting tin. However, it wouldn’t be a potato salad without the sauce!
Just before serving, I like to drizzle a few tablespoons of honey onto the crispy potatoes to create a subtle sweet and salty contrast. I then toss half of these in the dressing. Why half you ask? I’m a texture enthusiast. The combination of extra crunchy potatoes and those adorned in the dressing results in the perfect bite. This contrast also looks rather pretty on the plate.
To finish, I finely chop raw shallots and pan fry capers for the perfect salad topping.
Crispy potato salad
Duck fat-roasted crispy potato salad, dressed with an unctuous sauce of capers, dill, mustard, chili flakes and cornichons
Servings: 0
Ingredients
Crispy potato salad
- 3.5 lbs medium-large potatoes e.g. Maris Piper, cut into halves
- 1-2 tsp salt
- 180 g duck fat alternatives - olive oil, sunflower oil or lard
- 1 head garlic
- 2 tbsp honey for drizzling when cooked
Caper and dill dressing
- 230 g mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp whole grain or dijon mustard
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 100 g pickles/cornichons finely chopped
- 1 tbsp of capers
- 1-2 tsp dried chili flakes
- 1 shallot finely sliced
- 25 g cup parsley finely chopped
- 25 g cup dill finely chopped
- 1 garlic cloves minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Crispy capers
- 50 g capers
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Crispy potato salad
- Preheat the oven to 200C fan.
- Prepare the potatoes, place them in a saucepan over medium-high heat, and then boil until they are slightly fluffy on the outside - approx. 12-14 minutes.
- Place the duck fat in a roasting tin and put this in the oven for 5 minutes to preheat. Then, remove the tin and place it on the stove over low heat (this helps the oil stay hot) before adding the potatoes followed by a head of garlic. Turn the potatoes to coat and add a pinch of salt.
- Place the tin back into the oven for 15 minutes then remove and carefully turn the potatoes in the hot fat again. At 15 min intervals repeat the basting process until the potatoes appear golden-brown and crispy.
Dressing
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Set aside.
Crispy Capers
- Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Meanwhile, pat the capers dry before adding them to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until crispy.
Notes
Serve
Drizzle all the potatoes with a little honey. Remove half the potatoes and place them in a medium bowl then add the caper and dill salad dressing. Toss the potatoes to coat.
Arrange the honey-coated potatoes on a large serving platter then top with the caper and dill dressing coated potatoes. This creates a fantastic textural contrast/extra crunch.
Garnish with capers, shallots and any extra toppings such as chili flakes.
Serve immediately.
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