Keep it simple for potato salad

All-American potato salad — loaded with mayonnaise, sour cream and diced, hard-boiled egg — used be my standard. I took it to potlucks, served it on the Fourth of July and would make a batch just to have it on hand.

After my husband dropped a few hints about liking German-style potato salads, I got the message and started experimenting. What I learned is that you don’t need many ingredients: just good potatoes, fresh herbs, a little seasoning, a flavorful vinegar and olive oil.

This rendition includes sautéed onions, a trick I learned from an Austrian chef at cooking school that complements the natural sugars in the potatoes.

New-crop potatoes are starting to show up in markets. They are not technically “new” potatoes, but they’re fresh and perfect for this salad. If you can’t find any, choose a thin-skinned red potato.

Warm Parslied New Potato Salad

Makes about 6 1/2 cups

(6 to 8 servings)

The salad tastes best warm, but it can be refrigerated for a day or two. Bring it to room temperature before serving.

2 pounds new, new-crop or thin-skinned potatoes

5 tablespoons mild olive oil

1 medium sweet onion, cut into 1/4 -inch dice (1 cup)

Salt

1/4 cup loosely packed chopped parsley

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

Freshly ground black pepper

Place the potatoes in a large pot; add enough cool water to cover by several inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook for 15 minutes (small potatoes) to 30 or 45 minutes (larger ones). Test for doneness by inserting a thin skewer, which should meet with little resistance.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the diced onion and a light sprinkle of salt; stir to coat. Reduce the heat to medium, further adjusting as needed to keep the onion from browning. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the onion is tender.

Whisk together the parsley, vinegar and mustard in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed.

When the onions are done, stir them into the parsley dressing.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes to a cutting board. Let them cool for 5 minutes, then cut them into 1/2 -inch pieces. Immediately add them to the onion-parsley dressing mixture, tossing to combine. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Per serving (based on 8): 160 calories, 3 g protein, 22 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 55 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 3 g sugar