Mediterranean Baby Potato Salad
Prep Time: 20-25 minutes
Cook Time: approx.15 minutes
Rest Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 6 to 8
For the Dressing
♦ ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
♦ ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
♦ 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
♦ 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
For the Potato Salad
♦ 1 ½ pound bag of baby gold potatoes
♦ 2 Tablespoons Kosher salt for boiling the potatoes
♦ 2 baby cucumbers or ½ English cucumber
♦ sprinkling of salt for the cucumbers
♦ approx. ½ pint of grape tomatoes
♦ approx. ½ cup of roasted red peppers
♦ 20 – 25 pitted kalamata olives
♦ 2 ounces feta cheese (I prefer cow’s milk feta)
♦ 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
♦ 2-3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Cut the baby potatoes into quarters and place them in a saucepot with enough water to cover them completely. Add the 2 Tablespoons of Kosher salt and place the pan on the stove over high heat. Once the potatoes have reached a full boil, reduce the heat to medium high, and set a timer for 8 to 9 minutes. The potatoes should still be boiling but not so vigorously that there is a chance the pot will boil over onto the stove. When your timer goes off, remove the pan from the stove and drain the potatoes. Add them to a large bowl and set them aside for 5 to 7 minutes.
While the potatoes are resting you can make the dressing. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon Mustard and salt and whisk together until well incorporated (I like to do this in a 2-cup measuring cup so that I can first measure out the olive oil to ½ cup and add lemon juice until the liquids reach ¾ cup, then add the mustard and slat). Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes and stir gently. Place the bowl of potatoes in your refrigerator of at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. This is an important step! If you added the other ingredients at this point, everything would wilt and fall apart.
When at least 45 minutes have elapsed, you can prepare the rest of the ingredients. Begin by cutting the baby cucumbers in halves if using baby cucumbers or quarters if using English cucumbers. Cut the halves or quarters into slices, about ¼ inch thick. Place the cucumbers in a mesh strainer over a bowl and sprinkle with a bit of Kosher salt. Set aside. Cut the grape tomatoes in halves and set aside, then cut the kalamata olives in halves and set them aside as well. Cut the roasted red peppers into strips about ½ inch long and ¼ inch wide. Cut the feta cheese into small cubes and set aside. Chop up the herbs.
Remove the potatoes from the refrigerator and add all of the chopped vegetables (no need to wash off the cucumbers unless you added a lot of salt) and chopped fresh herbs, carefully stirring everything together. Last, gently stir in the feta cheese. Serve slightly hilled or at room temperature with your favorite chicken, shrimp or fish dish and enjoy! Note that the dressing will solidify slightly if you refrigerate the potato salad, so just be sure to remove it from the refrigerator and give it a good stir at least 30 minutes before serving
