Top 8 ready-made potato salads put to the taste test
In the warmer months, no dish is complete without some creamy potato salad
Potatoes at the moment are delicious – those new Queens developing a fluffiness that responds well to steaming which also minimises loss of nutrients.
Even if you don’t have a steamer, boil with a few centimetres of water, no more than halfway up the potatoes, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat making sure the lid is on firmly. Check after 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the potato, and every five minutes after that. It’s easy for the water to boil off and burn the precious orbs, but worth it to retain flavour. I use a metal steamer, part of a saucepan set, that has two layers, ideal for a crowd and a good investment.
Toss potatoes in olive oil ( see our survey of 16 July), any fresh herb, or, as in one of today’s samples, in pesto. Mayonnaise is obvious and for good reason – the combo is superb. Potato salad will keep for a few days, so make enough for two days, adding extra chopped chives, a little mustard, horseradish sauce, curry spices, chopped chorizo to give it a lift.
We looked at what was available mainly in supermarkets, but also salad bars and shops. Watch local markets for seasonal potato treats. Restaurants still doing takeaway may have some, and still need our support. Keep your money local. It’s a crucial time for businesses.
A delicious change from mayo here with a coating of pesto on perfectly cooked baby new potatoes. Ideal for picnics in the heat. One taster wanted to add salt which is easily done to taste. Delicious with poached salmon. Another salad was out of stock when we bought from a terrific range for easy picnics and lunches. At Cork’s English Market stall.
8.75
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Just the right amount of chorizo gives this a kick, underpinned by red and spring onion and flat-leafed parsley. Gluten-free, tasters loved this. There is also a good German vegan-friendly and gluten-free lightly mustardy potato salad with gherkins from a very good range at 15 Academy Street, Midleton and Wilton farmers’ markets. Good for party catering.
9
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A creamy dressing of rapeseed oil, soured cream, egg, onions, spring onions, vinegar, chives has a kick from mustard husk, allspice and warm turmeric. Quartered small potatoes retain their shape, but were slightly undercooked. 71% potatoes and had good flavour. Pleasant and very creamy, said one taster, not interesting said another. Tough crowd!
8
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Potato is more whipped than mashed, so heavier than other samples. Mixed with mayo and chives it’s an uncomplicated blend which some tasters liked, others found uninteresting and under-seasoned which is easy to rectify at home. Good with added chopped gherkins with fish.
7.5
With 70% diced potato, 27% mayo, 2.5% onion, 0.5% parsley, the mix is creamy and pleasant with no off flavours. One taster would have liked more onion, but that could be added at home. A good basic at a good price was the consensus.
8
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61% diced potato, 32% mayo, made with rapeseed oil, mustard, spring onion, chives, parsley. A bit too much mayo here for one taster, on firm, nicely sized, diced potato. Potatoes more flavoursome than other samples and tasters enjoyed the chives. Produced in Ireland.
8
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A low 57% diced potato is coated with 38% mayo made with rapeseed oil with 2% spring onions in slightly heavy mayo. Flavoured with mustard, this one divided tasters, most of whom didn’t like the vinegary hit and aftertaste. Not great texture of potato.
6.5
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Mayo and sour cream are combined in a dressing flecked with onion and chives. At 71%, a decent amount of cubed potatoes. Skins on is a nice idea, but in many cases when they fell off the potatoes, they clumped together which tasters didn’t favour. Produced in Ireland from EU and non-EU potatoes, this was considered the blandest of the selection (adding salt helped), with the potatoes most undercooked.
6.5
