Spring Potato Salad With Green Garlic Dressing

Spring potato salad with green garlic dressing. Photo by Susan Spungen

Spring Potato Salad With Green Garlic Dressing

Green garlic is young garlic that looks like big, woody scallions. It has a mild garlic flavor, which makes it perfect for using raw, like in this beautiful green dressing. The season is short, though, so if you don’t catch it, you can use garlic scapes for the same effect. If you don’t have either, use a few scallions and a small garlic clove instead.

Serves 6 to 8

For the vinaigrette:

• 2 stems green garlic or 4 stems garlic scapes, roughly chopped
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, preferably Meyer
• 1/4 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of sugar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or other neutral oil

For the salad:

• 2 pounds baby potatoes (smaller than golf balls)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 small bunch fresh chives (with blossoms if available), snipped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 bunch arugula or 2 cups baby arugula

To make the vinaigrette: Combine the green garlic, parsley, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and sugar in a mini food processor and pulse until everything is well chopped. Slowly add the oil through the hole in the lid until emulsified. Adjust the seasonings.

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp paring knife (if potatoes are larger, you may need a little more time). Let cool in the water for 15 minutes. Drain, cut the potatoes in half, and toss with enough dressing to coat generously while still warm. Season with salt and pepper and toss with the scallions and chives.

Place the arugula in a serving bowl and top with the potato mixture. Drizzle more dressing over the top. Sprinkle with the chive blossoms, if you have them, and pass extra dressing on the side.

Timing Tips

Up to 1 day ahead: Make the dressing; store in the fridge.

Up to 2 hours ahead: Cook the potatoes and dress them.

At the last minute: Assemble the salad.

Recipe reprinted with permission from “Open Kitchen“ by Susan Spungen, published by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright 2019 by Susan Spungen.