Browned Butter Leek Potato Salad

midsummer recipe #2

There are millions of potato salad recipes, so I wasn’t sure if I wanted to develop another, but it’s too good a Midsummer (and summer) staple not to. While I would have loved to use New Potatoes for this, they’re not the easiest to come across here in the US. Instead, I opted for regular baby potatoes; you can use yellow or multi-colored, whatever you prefer.

For this side, potatoes are tossed in a light mayonnaise dressing flavored with a hint of anchovy paste (trust me), along with sliced leek that has been gently sautéed in brown butter. It might sound rich, but you have full control over how much dressing you add, and the generous amount of chopped dill and chives helps to lift it up.

How to make it your own

• Use whatever potato you have at home. A waxy potato (such as Yukon Gold or fingerling) will hold up better than a starchy (such as russet). If they’re large, cut them into 2-inch pieces.

• Anchovy paste is optional, of course, but if you still want some of that punchy flavor, you could add a tiny bit of caper brine.

• You can also use lemon juice instead of white vinegar, and sour cream instead of crème fraiche.