Light Potato and Mâche Salad

Potato salad is as German as it gets! Every German I know has got their own family recipe that’s been handed down through generations. While you can find Kartoffelsalat throughout the whole of Germany, there is actually a north-south divide: a mayonnaise-based potato salad stems from north Germany, while in south Germany, you’d find a light, stock-based dressing.

Ingredients:

•     2 pounds waxy salad potatoes
•     2 shallots
•     4 tablespoons sunflower oil
•     1 teaspoon caraway seeds
•     2 pickled gherkins
•     2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
•     3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
•     A pinch of sugar
•     3/4 cup vegetable stock, hot
•     4 cups mâche
•     Coarse sea salt
•     Pepper

Directions:

1. Wash the potatoes and put them into a saucepan with salted water. Cover, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime, peel and finely chop the onion. Heat 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil in a frying pan and fry the onion with the caraway seeds for 1 minute, then put into a large bowl. Finely chop the pickled gherkins and add to the bowl.
3. In a small bowl, mix the Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar and a pinch of sugar. Set aside. Drain the potatoes and rinse under a cold running tap. Leave to cool for 10 minutes; they need to be cool enough to handle but still warm. Peel the potatoes, cut into 1⁄4-inch slices and add to the onions.
4. Pour the boiling stock over the potatoes, add the mustard and vinegar mix, and season with salt and pepper. Give the potatoes a stir, cover the bowl and leave to soak for one hour, stirring the salad from time to time. After one hour, add the remaining 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil to the potatoes, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the mâche; toss and serve immediately.