Ukrainian-Style Potato Salad

The beauty of this simple potato salad is just that—simplicity. After perusing various materials on Ukrainian cuisine, I came away with these highlights:

• Potatoes and cabbage reign.
• Onions and beets reign almost as much.
• Meatless meals are common.
• Ukrainian cooks can turn simple root-vegetable-based dishes into delectable dinners.

I created this recipe based on the simplest versions of potato salads I found. Some dressings call for mayo only, some for sour cream only, so I made a mixture and added a little dry mustard to complement the tangy sour cream.

Cucumber figures heavily into the salads, so I used a full cup of chopped seedless cucumber, along with onion, radishes, and hardboiled eggs. That’s it. Simple, and simply good.

Serves 5-6

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs small russet and red potatoes (russets peeled, red potatoes unpeeled)
• 1 cup chopped seedless cucumber
• 2/3 cup chopped onion
• 2 hardboiled eggs, chopped
• 2 radishes, very thinly sliced

Russet and Red Potatoes 

Potato Salad Ingredients

Preparation

1. Combine the mayo, sour cream, and dry mustard in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes (may also be made a day ahead).
2. Halve or quarter (if larger) the russet potatoes and halve the small red potatoes. Place in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch.

Potatoes Ready to Cook

1. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender when pierced with a fork, 10-12 minutes. Drain the potatoes and turn out onto a cutting board. Cool to room temperature.

Potatoes Cooling

1. Cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Add the cucumber, onion, eggs, and radishes. Add the dressing and stir gently to combine.

Potato Mixture Ready for Dressing

Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.