This no-mayo Potato Salad recipe is easy to prepare and is delicious with great flavor and a little heat from Calabrian Chili peppers. If you don’t like heat I doubt you will make this recipe. I thought fennel, fresh marjoram and toasted pine nuts rounded out the salad in a vinaigrette. I do note I started with about 3 pounds of potatoes but after I peeled and trimmed off the spots I bet I had maybe 1/2 a pound less. I do also recommend to let the salad sit at least half a day before trying it out as the flavors will change and to pull it out of the refrigerator and warm to at least room temperature to serve.

Ingredients for about 8 servings

3 lbs potatoes – peeled, cut in halves, in a pot of cold water with a Tablespoon of salt

1/4 large sweet onion – to boil with potatoes to infuse flavor and toss out when potatoes are boiled.

1 garlic clove – to boil with potatoes to infuse flavor and discard when potatoes are boiled

1 hot pepper – to boil with potatoes to infuse flavor and discard when potatoes are boiled

1/3 cup sweet onion – very thinly sliced

1 baby fennel with some of the fronds – remove core – slice very thin. (bigger fennel will need a peel) Save some of the fronds

2 Calabrian Chili Peppers – stem removed and chop very fine

1 teaspoon of oil from Calabrian Chili Peppers

2 sprigs fresh marjoram

1/4 cup toasted pinenuts (I put in a 350 degree F oven and they took a little over 5 minutes to get color)

4 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

4 Tablespoons lemon juice – fresh squeezed

4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 Tablespoon dijon mustard

1 garlic clove – ground to paste

1 Tablespoon course sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Set your oven to 350 degrees and set a timer for 5 minutes and put your pine nuts in the oven. They will be done in 5-10 minutes. After that they burn.

Get your potatoes in a pot with the hot pepper, 1/4 onion, 1 T salt and one clove of garlic. Put the pot on to boil (a little under high so it doesn’t boil over). Depending on the size of your potatoes they should take between 10-15 minutes. You want them to be fork tender. When done drain and set to the side. (Throw out the onion, pepper and garlic clove..they were used only to infuse flavor and they are garbage now)

While your potatoes are cooking you can prepare the vinaigrette. In a small bowl add olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, dijon, garlic (ground to paste), 1 T sea salt, 1/2 t black pepper. Mix well.

By now your potatoes are done and should be cool enough to handle. You want the potatoes in   bigger than bite size pieces because they will break some as you stir them. When the potatoes are the size you want put them in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes and let it soak in.

Top the bowl with the onion, fennel, use about 1/3 of the fronds ( just pull them off in small pieces) Calabrian peppers, Calabrian oil, marjoram. Gently toss.

I suggest to put away the potato for at least a half day or over night because the flavors will change. If you wait till overnight the salad develops a slight creamiest from the potatoes.

When ready to use either serve warm or room temperature and add top with fresh roasted pine nuts. It’s Delicious! If you can do a little spicy you will love it!