The best potatoes for any salad are waxy, or low-starch, potatoes, as opposed to the starchy tubers known as russet, or baking, potatoes. Waxy potatoes hold their shape once cooked and will not crumble when sliced or diced. Red Bliss and Yellow Finn are popular varieties for salads. New potatoes are also favored because their thin skins do not need peeling. See Potatoes.
Potato salad is best prepared from scrubbed potatoes cooked in their jackets just until soft enough to be easily pierced with a fork. Overcooking destroys the potatoΓÇÖs texture, while undercooking dampens the potatoΓÇÖs flavor. The skins are easily removed after cooking if desired. Cut potatoes for salad into either large dice or thick slices as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Potatoes absorb the maximum flavor from a dressing when still warm; so with the exception of mayonnaise- or cream-based dressings, which can separate or spoil, toss just-cooked potatoes with the dressing and serve the salad either warm or after it has cooled to room temperature. For mayonnaise- and cream-based salads, allow the potatoes to cool slightly but do not refrigerate them before you put the dressing on, as they will lose much of their down-to-earth savor. In either case, toss potatoes gently to keep them intact.
