Nothing says “party side dish basic” like one of the many delicious variations on creamy potato salad from around the world. It’s starchy and rich so it’s usually a crowd favorite — and all it requires in its simplest form is some potatoes and mayonnaise. Of course there are countless ways to kick it up a notch and most people add at least a few herbs and spices to balance out the rich flavors. But celebrity chef Ina Garten who’s no stranger to potato dishes has a secret ingredient you might not have thought to use — buttermilk.
| Channel | Publish Date | Thumbnail & View Count | Actions |
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 Food Network | 2020-06-15 14:00:03 |  335,673 Views |
Ina Garten's Tarragon Potato Salad Recipe | Barefoot Contessa: Cook Like a Pro | Food Network
Buttermilk should not be confused with regular milk; the two are not interchangeable. Buttermilk is fermented which makes it more acidic than regular milk. That is why you often see it used to tenderize chicken. It has a different flavor because of those acidic elements and it contains live cultures (kind of like you would find in yogurt). Because of its vinegary flavor it can easily be used in salad dressings or as Garten uses it in potato salad.
Potato salad dressings tend to be a little thicker than regular salad dressing. Since you want it to coat the potatoes dressings are often made with a mayonnaise base. However some people like to toss potato salad in a vinaigrette-style dressing so it’s perfectly fine to use a little buttermilk; it’s kind of a mix of both. Ina Garten makes her potato salad with a ratio of one cup mayonnaise to one-quarter cup buttermilk. It’s enough buttermilk to get that slightly tangy flavor you’d find in a vinaigrette but using more mayonnaise keeps the salad dressing creamy and thick.
Buttermilk and mayonnaise provide the bulk of the flavor in Garten’s recipe but she does add a few other things to the dressing to help bring it all together including a mix of Dijon and whole-grain mustard to build that tang and acidity. Since the potatoes are soft once they’re cooked a little celery and red onion add some crunch. Garten recommends refrigerating the salad for about two hours before serving to allow the flavors of the dressing to fully develop.
