I love salt and vinegar chips but I never buy them because it would only cause problems...a lot of chip eating problems. Luckily, this potato salad that tastes just like chips.


 

It doesn't look very exciting, but potato salad rarely does. But look how it makes a dinner plate full of other colourful things look that much better. And there's not a drop of mayo involved. 

Here, apple cider vinegar is the star. And the pickled onions, of course. Don't sweat it if you're new to making quick pickles (aka quickles) because they are super easy to make. Soak the onion slices in vinegar until they turn bright pink and pretty. That's it! You can even make them a day in advance if you're running short on time. The pickling removes the harshness usually associated with raw onions, so don't fear the onion breath. The vinegar soak makes them extra tasty. 

Salt and Vinegar Potato Salad

(adapted from Gourmet magazine)

1/2 red onion, cut into strips

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 

2 lbs baby potatoes

1 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon honey

1/4 cup olive oil (or a bit less)

Toss the red onion with the 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar and let marinate for 30 minutes. Drain.

Boil potatoes in a medium sized pot until just tender, about 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining vinegar, salt, honey and Old Bay in a large bowl. 

Slice potatoes into quarters. The original recipe calls for peeling the potatoes while still warm, but I found it too hot to bother, so less than half of my potatoes were peeled. No matter, carry on and add the quartered potatoes into the bowl with the vinegar and spices. Add in onion mixture and slowly pour in oil (you may not need all of it) and lightly toss. Add more Old Bay and salt if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature. Eating it out of the fridge ice cold the next day was a nice treat too. Serves 4.