This is my favorite potato salad — a far cry from the usual mayo/mustard based crew, this one is almost seasoned like a puttanesca pasta: capers, anchovies, red pepper flakes, garlic… a divine combination of flavors. The mint is an interesting addition that adds flavor and color. I’ll be making this again, for sure. The recipe originally appeared in Esquire; I followed it pretty much exactly, except I cut the oil *way* down. I just can’t imagine adding an entire cup of oil to this potato salad — it would be swimming! I ended up using around a third of that.

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Lisa says:

Hey, what is that? Looks like Kung Pao Chicken.

Chris says:

This is the potato salad I was telling you about…

Lisa says:

Whoa, definitely looks different.

Chris says:

Just wait until you try it!

Lisa says:

Holy crap that’s good… and I can totally see why you’d love this, caper boy.

Chris says:

Hell yeah, capers are like little tiny explosions of awesome in your mouth.

Carrie says:

Hey, Kung Pao chicken — great!

Chris says:

Not quite… just a bombastic potato salad.

Carrie says:

Wow, this is really good.

Chris says:

This is what I’m saying! I heart it. It should definitely become part of the standard party-food rotation…

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Red Bliss Potato Salad, Paesano Style
2 1/2 lbs small red bliss potatoes.
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp rinsed capers
1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red peppers
A few cloves chopped garlic
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp red-pepper flakes
6 minced oil-packed anchovies
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Quarter the potatoes. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add potatoes, and cook until fork tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and transfer to mixing bowl. Stir in the capers, roasted red peppers, garlic, balsamic vinegar, sugar, red-pepper flakes, and anchovies. Stir and cool to room temperature. Then add the extra-virgin olive oil and chopped fresh mint, then coarse salt and ground pepper. Sprinkle grated Parmesan and a few more torn mint leaves on top. Serve at room temperature.

Makes so much, and yet not quite enough… !