German-style potato salad with spicy vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 400 g Potatoes (with skin, type Charlotte or waxy potatoes)
• 200 g Cooked red beet (pre‑cooked, to be diced)
• 50 g Smoked herring fillet (cut into pieces about 1 cm)
• 50 g Pickles (thinly sliced)
• 1 Apple (Granny Smith or other crisp apple, diced (about ½ apple for the salad))
• 4 c. à soupe Olive oil (extra virgin, can be replaced by rapeseed oil)
• 1 c. à soupe Vinegar (honey vinegar or cider vinegar according to preference)
• 1 c. à soupe Strong Dijon mustard (very piquant mustard)
• 1 Shallot (finely chopped)
• 1 Garlic clove (coarsely chopped)
• 1 c. à café Ground ginger (adds heat to the vinaigrette)
• 1 c. à soupe Fresh chopped parsley (for freshness)
• au goût Salt
• au goût Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Cooking the potatoes

   Wash the potatoes, leave them whole with the skin, place them in a pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil then cook 20 minutes until tender.

   Time: PT25M

   Temperature: 100°C

2. Cooling and preparing the potatoes

   Drain the potatoes, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, peel them and cut into quarters.

   Time: PT5M

3. Preparing the accompaniments

   Dice the cooked beet into pieces the size of a small bacon strip, slice the pickles, dice the apple (about ½ apple), cut the smoked herring fillet into 1 cm pieces, finely chop the shallot and garlic.

   Time: PT10M

4. Preparing the spicy vinaigrette

   In a bowl, combine olive oil, Dijon mustard, ground ginger, pepper, chopped shallot, garlic, parsley and vinegar. Whisk vigorously until a smooth emulsion forms, then season lightly with salt.

   Time: PT5M

5. Assembling the salad

   In a large mixing bowl, place the potato quarters, add the beet dice, pickles, apple dice and smoked herring pieces. Pour the spicy vinaigrette over everything and gently toss to coat each ingredient well.

   Time: PT5M

6. Serving

   Transfer the salad to a serving dish, garnish with a little fresh parsley and serve with country bread.

   Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

270

Protein

16 g

Carbohydrates

100 g

Fat

57 g

Fiber

14 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Potatoes: New potatoes, Red potatoes
• Instead of Cooked red beet: Raw beet to cook
• Instead of Smoked herring fillet: Smoked salmon, Smoked trout
• Instead of Pickles: Vinegar pickles, Relish
• Instead of Apple: Pear, Nectarine
• Instead of Olive oil: Rapeseed oil, Sunflower oil
• Instead of Vinegar: Wine vinegar, White balsamic vinegar
• Instead of Strong Dijon mustard: Whole‑grain mustard
• Instead of Ground ginger: Fresh grated ginger
• Instead of Fresh chopped parsley: Chives

Equipment Needed

• Pot
• Colander
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Large salad bowl
• Vinaigrette bowl
• Whisk
• Measuring spoon
• Wooden spatula (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Cooking the potatoes until tender
• Emulsifying the vinaigrette (do not let the sauce separate)
• Gentle mixing to avoid crushing the potatoes

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use waxy potatoes (Charlotte, Amandine) so they hold together after cooking.
• For a more authentic taste, replace honey vinegar with German white wine vinegar.
• Add a pinch of brown sugar to the vinaigrette if you like a sweet‑salty contrast.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container 2 to 3 days.

Freezer: Not recommended, the potato texture deteriorates.

Room temperature: Can stay at room temperature up to 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The vinaigrette can be prepared 1 day ahead and kept in the refrigerator.
• The cooked potatoes can be cooled, peeled and kept chilled before assembling the salad.
• Assemble the salad just before serving to keep the potatoes firm.