My mom searched and searched through old food magazines while I searched and searched the internet for a corn and potato salad with crème fraiche dressing. We had made the recipe before so I couldn’t understand why it didn’t exist anywhere online. Finally my mom found it in our June 1995 copy of Gourmet.
Except crème fraiche wasn’t an ingredient.
We’ve both made this corn and potato salad with crème fraiche (or sour cream) several times, when all the while it was meant to have buttermilk instead. Well, our version is great and deserves to be known, too. Or you could make a few substitutions and call it your own.
You’ll want to take the credit. This is the potato salad that changes the minds of potato-salad-haters. The corn is sweet, the dressing is tangy…it’s so good, we served it New Year’s Eve on a bed of baby romaine next to lobster and filet mignon.
(Also, the 70+ degree days here have me thinking out of season and posting about things like corn and potato salad and ice cream topped with blueberries. Ah, winter in Los Angeles…)
Corn and Potato Salad with Crème Fraiche Dressing
Adapted from Gourmet’s Potato and Toasted Corn Salad with Buttermilk Dressing, July 1995
- 3 pounds small rose potatoes, cut in bite-sized wedges
- 2 cups sweet corn, removed from cob (fresh or defrosted)
- 1/2 cup crème fraiche
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar (white wine vinegar or lemon juice work too)
- 3 large scallions, finely chopped (I use only the white parts for this)
- white pepper and kosher salt to taste
Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Cook the potatoes just until tender, likely 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
Put the corn on a sheet pan and roast under the broiler for several minutes until lightly browned. Then set aside to cool. Season with kosher salt.
In a small bowl, whisk together crème fraiche, mayonnaise, vinegar, scallions and white pepper. Taste and adjust as necessary. More vinegar or more pepper maybe.
Toss potatoes and corn with dressing in a large bowl. This can be served mildly warm or completely chilled. It lasts several days in the fridge and tastes just as good.
