Grecian Potato Salad
Potatoes didn’t arrive in Greece or the Grecian Isles until the 18th Century, but the Greeks took to the tubers and the island of Naxos is famous for them.
The Greeks were famous for many things in the ancient culinary world — seafood, goat, lamb, eggplant, chickpeas, capers, olives, bread, lentils and excellent local cheeses. But potatoes are a recent arrival.
The tubers were first domesticated in the Andes of present-day Peru and northwestern Bolivia somewhere between 7,000 and 10,000 years ago. When the Spanish conquered the Inca Empire in the 16th century, they brought potatoes back to Europe. Spain and France had them in the 17th century and by then, they were a staple in Ireland. But potatoes didn’t arrive in Greece until the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
In fact, there's a famous Greek story about their introduction. Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first governor of independent Greece, wanted farmers to adopt potatoes. They weren't interested, so he supposedly had a shipment placed under guard at the docks. Thinking the potatoes must be valuable if they were being protected, people began "stealing" them—which was exactly what Kapodistrias had hoped they would do. Whether every detail of the story is true is debated, but it has become part of Greek folklore.
Today, French Fries are ubiquitous throughout the Grecian Isles, and roasted or boiled potatoes are a frequent side dish, dressed in olive oil and fresh herbs. The crop grows well in the rich Mediterranean agricultural lands—such as Naxos—prized throughout Greece because the island's fertile soil that produces exceptionally flavorful tubers.
This is a Grecian inspired potato salad that I made up, based on Mediterranean flavors and without the use of mayonnaise. The flavors are traditionally Greek, but the addition of bacon is my American touch.
Grecian Potato Salad
Potatoes didn’t arrive in Greece or the Grecian Isles until the 18th Century, but the Greeks took to the tubers and the island of Naxos is famous for them.
Ingredients
- 12 medium Red and/or Yukon potatoes
- 4 tbsp table salt for salting the water
- 6 strips bacon, cooked crispy
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, finely diced
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
- 1 pinch ground red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Wash the potatoes and then, cut them down into bite-size pieces, which will be somewhere around 1-inch cubes.
- Put the potatoes in a pot and cover them in cold water, plus 2-3 inches. Add four tablespoons of salt to the water and place the pot on the stove over high heat.
- When the potatoes start to boil (which will take 10-15 minutes depending on your stove), set your kitchen timer for 10 minutes. At the 10 minute mark, test it to see if they're done.
- If you need more time after 10 minutes, check your potatoes every 1-2 minutes. You want your potatoes cooked, but still firm enough to hold their shape.
- Drain the potatoes well through a colander and run cold tap water over them to stop the cooking process.
- When the potatoes have cooled down, put them in a mixing bowl uncovered in your refrigerator for an hour. You want them dry and cold when you begin to assemble the salad.
- While your potatoes are chilling out in the fridge, finely dice your celery, green onions and chop your bacon. Set aside.
- Pour the olive oil in a mixing bowl and add the Dijon mustard. Using a wire whisk, make an emulsion.
- Add the red wine vinegar, lemon juice and all of the seasonings. Allow to sit a room temperature for at least and hour.
- Assemble the dish at the last minute before serving. Put all ingredients together in your mixing bowl and gently fold the everything together from the outside of the mixing bowl inward. Take care not to masticate the potatoes by over-mixing or mixing too roughly lest you'll wind up with mashed potatoes.
- Serve immediately with more freshly ground black pepper on top.
Notes
- If you've never checked a boiled potato to see if it's cooked, take a fork and spear a few chunks of potato when it is still raw. This will allow you to compare it that to one that's cooked, or "fork tender" in culinary parlance.
