Lisa and I are both big potato salad fans, as long as they’re not super-mayo affairs.  We needed to come up with a side dish to bring to a BBQ this weekend, and this recipe from The Border Cookbook seemed like a nice twist on the standard summer potato salad.  A vinegar and oil dressing replaces the usual mayonnaise, and  onions, tomatillos, and carrots provide an interesting flavor and texture combination.

Lisa says:

It’s sweet!

Chris says:

Yeah I like it, too.

Lisa says:

No, I mean — it’s sweet. As in, the dressing.

Chris says:

Ah! Yep, you’re right. The tomatillos seem to add some sweetness, and the vinegar gives it a nice tangy flavor.

Lisa says:

It’s definitely different. I like all the carrots.

Chris says:

The flavors seemed to intensify as it chilled — the recipe calls for you to refrigerate it for at least a couple of hours.

Lisa says:

So *that’s* why you wouldn’t let me taste it earlier…

Baja Potato Salad
1/2 cup rice vinegar
10 peppercorns
4 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 small head of garlic, minced
3 oz tomatillos, husked and chopped
4 carrots, grated
4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, boiled in salted water until tender, diced
1 jalapeño, seeded, minced
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
3/4 tsp oregano
salt and fresh ground pepper

In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaf to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside to steep.
In a deep skillet, warm the oil over medium heat, then add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent. Add the tomatillos and cook an additional 5 minutes. Finally, add the carrots and cook an additional minute, or until the carrot wilts.
Place the potatoes in a bowl and spoon the carrot mixture over the top. Strain the vinegar and pour over the mixture. Add the jalapeño, parsley, and oregano, and mix again. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. Refrigerate, covered, for at least two hours.
Serve chilled.

6-8 Servings