Description
La Salade Parisienne is a fancy Potato salad with a French twist. A sophisticated side dish for your Summer BBQs.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of cubed ham (ask the deli for half inch thick slices to then cube at home)
- 1/2 pound of Comté or Gruyere Cheese, cut into small cubes
- 3/4 cup of Cornichons or mini Gherkins, sliced
- 5 Yukon Gold potatoes,
- 4 cups of mixed greens
- 1 cup of blanched peas
- 6 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise du Chef (recipe below or you can use regular mayonnaise if you prefer)
- 2 teaspoons vinegar (shallot vinegar - red wine vinegar also works great here)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup of fresh dill, chopped
- 1 shallot finely chopped
Ingredients for homemade, fresh Mayonnaise:
- 4 egg yolks (use very fresh, organic eggs*)
- 1 cup of olive oil
- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar or shallot vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon of Espelette pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- zest of one lemon
*Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.
Instructions
First, put your potatoes to boil. Place the potatoes in enough cold water to cover (always start your potatoes in cold water!) and bring to a boil. Let boil for 25-30 minutes until you can easily pierce them with a fork. Drain, then allow to chill slightly before peeling and cutting into cubes. Set aside or put in the refrigerator to chill depending on how much time you have before serving the salad.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, add salad ingredients ( the cubed ham, cheese, sliced gherkins, minced shallot, peas, salt and dill). Stir together delicately. Keep the olive oil and vinegar to the side for seasoning the mixed greens right before serving.
How to make homemade mayonnaise
Begin to make your mayonnaise. In a medium mixing bowl (ideally stainless steel) add the egg yolks, the vinegar, the salt and the mustard. Beat together with a whisk. Now it is time to add the oils. You want to be care to add the oil little by little , all the while whisking. If you have a food processor, do this in a food processor, it is so much easier! Keep the speed on medium and lightly drizzle very slowly in the olive oils (it doesn't really matter which oil you start with). You will see the mixture begin to emulsify (get thicker). Once the mixture begins to thicken add in the lemon zest and the Espelette pepper.
Voilà! You have made your very own mayonnaise! The taste is so much lighter and brighter than store bought mayonnaise. Make sure to save this recipe to use as a dipping sauce for poached shrimp or lobster too. Délicieux!
Make sure the ingredients are all at room temperature or cooler before mixing
Once the potatoes have cooled at least to room temperature or chilled (they should not be hot - you do not want to make scrambled eggs out of your mayonnaise!) mix them in with the salad ingredients in the large mixing bowl.
Gently fold in the mayonnaise ( I like to use a rubber spatula).
Taste and adjust the seasonings. Perhaps you like a little more salt or Espelette pepper. Feel free to adjust to your taste!
In another mixing bowl - lightly toss the mixed greens with the olive oil and shallot vinegar. Make sure this is the last step you do - right before serving! You don't want your greens to get soggy.
Notes
Serving La Salade Parisienne.
I like to serve this salad in individual plates - it heightens the presentation more than if you were presenting a big bowl of potato salad that is then scooped up onto plates. I find that a shallow bowl (like a pasta dish) works really well for this salad.
Spread a layer of the lightly seasoned mixed greens at the base of each dish. Top with a generous serving of the potato salad mixture. Top with a sprinkling of the fresh dill.
Voilà! A delicious salad to enjoy all summer long!
Wine Pairing Recommendation
The sweet and vinegary notes of La Salade Parisienne go very well with an Alsatian Pinot Gris. Something smooth and full bodied with fresh fruit flavors.