Potato–Sardine Salad

James Beard

Author and Educator

Use the small Norwegian Brisling sardines for this salad. They’re a little fishier-tasting than other types, and are generally smoked and canned in olive oil. Of course, sardines are also delicious mashed, in a sandwich made of well-buttered bread with a generous sprinkling of lemon juice and a thin slice of onion.

Yield

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 medium-sized new red potatoes, unpeeled
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
  • 3 cups chopped mixed salad
  • Two 3 1/4-ounce cans Brisling sardines
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

Method

Boil the potatoes in their jackets until tender; set aside to cool. When they are comfortable enough to handle, slip off the skins and slice them into a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Cool. Add the red onion, parsley, and remaining olive oil and vinegar and toss gently. Arrange on a bed of greens.

Open and carefully drain the sardines; try to keep them whole. Place them on top of the potato salad, alternating with the hard-boiled eggs.

Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, and dill to make a mustard mayonnaise sauce. Serve with the salad.

https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/potatosardine-salad