Although a braai is ostensibly about the meat, it’s the quality of the side-dishes that makes a braai into a feast. Everyone’s got their favourite twist on a potato salad recipe: some folks are passionate about the inclusion of hard-boiled eggs (shudder) while others say that the key is roasting the potatoes, not boiling them. This recipe’s secret weapon is nutty, buttery, roasted garlic, and it’s a life-changing addition.
I like to keep this veggie-friendly, especially when it’s just an accompaniment to piles of sticky-sweet pork chops, garlic-butter steak, or lamb curry sosaties: but if the thought of pigless potato salad hurts your soul, you could add bacon. If you want a salad that actually has leaves in it, check out Justin Bonello’s mushroom and potato salad.
Also read: The ultimate Braai Day recipe guide
Ingredients
- 1 kg of potatoes
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tsp chopped chives
- 2 heads of garlic
- 3 tsp olive oil
Method
- Peel the papery outer layers of each garlic head, leaving the individual cloves intact, and slice off the top of each head of garlic, and about a quarter-centimetre of each clove.
- Drizzle the garlic with olive oil, trying to ensure that it goes between the cloves.
- Wrap the garlic heads in tin-foil and roast them at 180 degrees for 45 – 60 minutes.
- While that’s going, cut potatoes into quarters and boil until soft, approximately 30 minutes.
- Once your garlic is browned and sticky (like in photo below), let it cool slightly and then carefully remove each clove, add to a bowl, and mash them with a fork.
- Add your sour cream, chives and mayonnaise to the roasted garlic paste, and mix well.
- Once the potatoes have cooled slightly, pour the roasted garlic mayo-mix over the top and mix well. Season to taste.
- Serve in a pretty bowl, with some chives for garnish if you’re fancy.
Roasted garlic brings a nutty sweetness to a classic potato salad.
