I often make this potato salad with twisted basil pesto during the summer and it is a must at the Swedish Midsummer celebration where it is served both on the lunch buffet table and with the BBQ food. It is extra delicious with small new potatoes that are halved or divided into four wedges depending on the size of the potato. One year, a different potato salad was served at Midsummer and then there was a stir! Since then, I dare not deviate.
You will need
2 lbs firm small potatoes (new potatoes), boiled and diced
2.1 cups shallots, finely chopped
0.8 cups Snap peas (optional), finely sliced crosswise
0.6 cups Hellman’s or homemade mayonnaise
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Flake salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Twisted Pesto
2 large bunches of fresh basil, leaves and stems
2 tbsp fresh oregano
2 tbsp fresh thyme
1 generous handful of fresh spinach
6 tbsp pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
2 cups of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp honey
0.63 cups olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
0.42 cups Philadelphia cream cheese
3 tbsp mayonnaise, homemade or Hellman’s
For serving
Chopped chives
Fried onions (optional)
Balsamic cream
How to make it
Start by making the pesto
1. Place the basil, thyme, oregano, spinach, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, and honey together with 1 tbsp oil in a blender. Run the blender until everything is well mixed and finely divided. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as you go.
2 large bunches of fresh basil leaves and stems
2 tbsp fresh oregano
2 tbsp fresh thyme
1 generous handful of fresh spinach
6 tbsp pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, finely grated
2 cups of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp honey
2. Add the rest of the oil little by little while the blender is running until you have the consistency you desire.
The remains of 0.63 cups olive oil
3. Add balsamic vinegar, Philadelphia Cream cheese, and mayonnaise and run the blender.
1 ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
0.42 cups Philadelphia cream cheese
3 tbsp mayonnaise, homemade or Hellman’s
4. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5. Mix 2.1 cups twisted pesto with Hellman’s or homemade mayonnaise and balsamic vinegar in a large mixing bowl.
2.1 cups twisted pesto
0.6 cups Hellman’s or homemade mayonnaise
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
6. Add potatoes, shallots, and snap peas. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
2 lbs firm small potatoes (new potatoes), boiled and diced
2.1 cups shallots, finely chopped
0.8 cups Snap peas (optional), finely sliced crosswise
7. Place the salad in a serving bowl and top with chives and fried onions. Drizzle over some crème de balsamico.
Flaky salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Chopped chives
Fried onions (optional)
Crème de balsamico
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