Austrian Potato Salad

The best potato salad I’ve ever eaten was at Figlmueller in Vienna, Austria.  Figlmueller’s Austrian potato salad had a luxuriously thick, velvety dressing with potatoes that practically melted in your mouth.  It was glorious.  All five of us travelling (Caitlin, Matt, Brian, Anika and I) were obsessed with how good Figlmueller’s potato salad was.  The recipe below actually comes from Figlmueller’s cookbook (thanks for buying it for me Anika!), however I adapted it slightly since I didn’t have mache and I thought the original 1 whole red onion was far too much than what we ate in the restaurant.  I also used small purple potatoes because a. they contain more antioxidants than normal white potatoes and b. I thought the color would be nice.  I promise you won’t miss the mayo this Memorial Day!

Austrian Potato Salad
Total Time: 40 min
Yield: 6-8 servings

• 800 g waxy potatoes (1 3/4 lb potatoes) fingerling potatoes
• 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 bunch of chives chopped
• pinch of salt
• field salad, corn salad, lamb’s lettuce, mâche, fetticus, nut lettuce, rapunzel (optional)

• 1/8 L strong beef broth (1/2 cup- 1 boullion cube in 1/2 cup water)
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 4 tablespoons neutral oil (canola, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, safflower, or peanut oil)

In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes and 1 tablespoon of salt. Add enough cold water to cover completely. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the potatoes are just tender enough to be pierced easily with a skewer or the tip of a sharp knife, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes. Slice potatoes.

In a small bowl or food processor, whisk together the beef broth, vinegar, salt, pepper, tarragon, sugar, and mustard. Slowly whisk in the oil to make a thick emulsion. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine the warm potato rounds with the diced onion, chives, and dressing. Let marinate at room temp for 30 minutes before serving.  We ate the potato salad room temperature or warm, however it is just as good chilled!