Jaclyn Pestka, Wayne Gisslen, Lou Sackett

Traditional Method

Appears in
Professional Garde Manger: A Comprehensive Guide to Cold Food Preparation
Professional Garde Manger

By Jaclyn Pestka, Wayne Gisslen and Lou Sackett

Published 2010

  • About
When properly done, this method results in cooked potatoes with a dry, light-textured flesh that readily absorbs and mixes with the dressing.
  1. Scrub the unpeeled potatoes under cold running water.
  2. Sort the potatoes by size. Cook potatoes of similar size together at one time.

  3. Cook the potatoes by one of the following methods:

    Place the potatoes in a pan, cover with cold water, and bring to the boil (A). Cook at the boil until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a knife. Drain.

    –or–

    Place the potatoes in one layer in a perforated hotel pan. Steam under pressure until just tender when pierced with a knife.

  4. Open-pan cool the potatoes to lukewarm.
  5. Peel the potatoes and cut into slices or dice.
  6. Refrigerate just until the potatoes reach 38°F (3°C)—see sidebar.
  7. Mix the potatoes with the dressing.
  8. Add the remaining salad ingredients. Taste and correct the seasoning.
  9. Refrigerate and allow the salad to mellow for the specified time.
  10. Evaluate the seasonings and mouthfeel, and correct if necessary.