Excerpted from WATERMELON AND RED BIRDS by Nicole A. Taylor.

Copyright © 2022 by Nicole

A. Taylor. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.
W A T E R M E L ON & RE D B I R D S

SOUTHERN-ISH
POTATO
SALAD
SER V ES 6 TO 8

The greatest failure when making potato salad is overcooking the spuds—creamy mashed pota-
toes is a no-go for any potato salad recipe. You want a waxy variety like fingerlings, Yukon Golds,
or red potatoes; these varieties will keep their shape and texture when cooked right. Bobby
Seale, cofounder of the Black Panther Party, said it well in his 1988 cookbook Barbeque’n with
Bobby, where he wrote under a recipe titled “Hunky Crunchy Potato Salad” that his mother’s
potato salad was a “tasty quasi-mashed potato salad.” My pro tip is to season the potatoes while
they are warm. Begin your training to be a queen.

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and

cut into 1-inch pieces
⅓ cup plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt
8 ounces bacon (optional)
About 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted
butter (if omitting the bacon)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 fennel bulb, cored and chopped
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup fresh parsley leaves and stems,
chopped, plus 2 tablespoons leaves for
garnish
2 teaspoons ground mustard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus extra for
garnish
Zest of 2 lemons (2 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons Quick-Pickled Banana Pepper
brine (page 44)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Peel your potatoes and rinse in cold water. Place the potatoes in a large pot
and add water to cover (around 10 cups) and ⅓ cup of the salt. Bring to a boil
over high heat and cook the potatoes, uncovered, until just tender but with
some bite still, 18 to 25 minutes. Be sure not to overcook the potatoes—you
don’t want mushy potato salad! Drain the potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.
Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt and allow to cool for 30 minutes or so.

continued on page 150

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Southern-ish Potato Salad, continued

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon (if using) over medium heat
until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp and browned, 7 to 10 minutes.
Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan. (If you’re
omitting the bacon, melt the butter in a large skillet here.) Add the onion
and fennel to the hot bacon fat in the skillet and cook until softened, about
5 minutes. Season with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Remove from the
heat and allow to cool.

Add the cooled fennel mixture to the bowl with the potatoes, then add the
olive oil, sour cream, chopped parsley, ground mustard, paprika, lemon zest,
pickled banana pepper brine, and pepper and stir to combine. Taste! Taste! If
necessary, you may need to add a tad more of the seasonings and sour cream.
Garnish with the parsley leaves and, if desired, an extra pinch of paprika.

We’re talking about potato salad here, so: everyone has their way. Some people
make it the day of; some people make it the day ahead. Store in the refrigerator
until ready to serve.

150