Potato Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

[sung to the tune of Maria Maria from West Side Story]

Potaaatoes! 

Potatoes potatoes 

I looove you! 

With butter or sour creeeaam, 

or just a bit of cheese, 

oh pleeease!!

I'm a musical genius.  Says who, you may ask? ME!!

I originally made this potato salad for New Year's dinner and loved it so much, I decided that it would be a great main course all by itself.  Says who, you may ask?  ME!!

Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients

• 2 lb small (1- to 1 1/2-inch) potatoes, preferably new potatoes (this just means small taters)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots (about 2)
• 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

The original recipe has you cook the potatoes whole, then drain and cut, but I missed that part and started hacking into my potatoes willy nilly from the get-go.

Then I realized that it turned out for the better because if I had cooked them whole I would have to wait until they cooled down to cut them.  That kind of process + my impatience = ouchy singed fingertips.

Anyway, wash and cut your potatoes into about 1-inch pieces. 

Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water so that the water is about 1 inch above the potatoes.  Add in 1 tsp salt (which I forgot to do and towards the end, realizing in a panic that I was going to have unflavored potatoes, threw in what I thought was a teaspoon of salt which was actually a tablespoon and then ensued all kinds of hijinks involving siphoning off salty water and replacing it with regular water to cut down on saltiness why am I telling you this).

Heat over high heat until boiling, then lower heat and simmer until tender.  The original recipe said to simmer for 10 minutes, but mine took about 20 minutes (which may be in part due to above hijinks).

While the potatoes are cooking, make your vinaigrette.  Combine the chopped shallot, mustards, vinegar, pepper, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl (this is the bowl that you will add the potatoes to, so get a big one).

Gradually whisk in oil.

It's an action shot! An action shot!

When the potatoes are done, drain them and then add to the vinaigrette.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and you're done!

I don't know if this can really be considered a nutritional main course, but I really don't care. Oh wait a second I remember I served it along roasted brussels sprouts.  Hm, I guess I *do* care about having a balanced diet.

Creamy, toothsome potato, I love thee vewy vewy much. Ta-da!