Roasted Two Potato Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Fourth of July week. America's birthday. Wisconsin's excuse to grill everything that moves. Dad hosted the cookout at the Cape Cod again, and this year I was officially co-grill master, not just assistant. We split duties: Dad handled brats and burgers, I handled chicken wings and corn. Two grills running side by side in the backyard, smoke rising into a blue sky, cold beers sweating on the picnic table. It's the most Tom-and-Jake thing we've ever done. The wings were my showpiece. I'd been practicing a dry rub — smoked paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, cayenne, salt, pepper — and I'd figured out the technique: grill them indirect for thirty minutes to render the fat, then move them over direct heat for the last five minutes to crisp the skin. The result was smoky, spicy, slightly sweet, with skin that crackled when you bit through it. Dad tried one and said, "These are better than mine." I genuinely don't think Tom Kowalski has ever admitted that anyone makes anything better than he does. I need to write this down. I'm writing it down. July 4th, 2017: Dad said my wings are better than his. Mom made potato salad (hers, not mine — I've conceded this territory). Babcia brought deviled eggs and rye bread. She seemed more energetic than she has in weeks — the warm weather agrees with her. She sat in her lawn chair and ate a bratwurst and told a story about her and Dziadek Stefan's first Fourth of July in 1959, when they went to the lakefront and he burned their hot dogs on a borrowed grill. "He was a terrible cook," she said, laughing. "But he tried. That's all that matters." Fireworks on the lakefront. Mom leaned against Dad. Babcia held my arm. The sky exploded in color. Everything temporary, everything beautiful. Instagram: posted the grill setup — two grills, two Kowalski men, matching beer cans. Caption: "The family business." 250 likes. People keep asking for the wing recipe. Maybe I should actually write these down. At the brewery: holiday shutdown. Back to production Monday.

Mom’s potato salad has always been off-limits territory — I said it myself, I’ve conceded it completely — but after a day like that one, standing shoulder to shoulder with Dad over two running grills with smoke in my eyes and a cold beer in my hand, I came home feeling like maybe it was time to put something of my own on the table. Not to challenge hers. Just to have one that’s mine. This roasted two potato salad — Yukon Golds and sweet potatoes charred at the edges and pulled together with a sharp honey mustard vinaigrette — is the side dish I’m claiming. It goes with wings, it goes with brats, and it tastes like a cookout that actually meant something.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven. Set oven to 425°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil and place them in the oven while it preheats — hot pans help the potatoes caramelize instead of steam.
Season the potatoes. In a large bowl, toss both types of cubed potato with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the salt, pepper, and smoked paprika until evenly coated.
Roast until golden. Spread the potatoes in a single layer across the hot baking sheets, keeping the two potato types on separate halves if possible (sweet potatoes may cook slightly faster). Roast 25–30 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the edges are browned and the centers are tender when pierced with a fork.
Make the vinaigrette. While the potatoes roast, whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, and remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small bowl until smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
Dress while warm. Transfer the roasted potatoes to a large serving bowl while still hot. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and toss gently to coat — the warm potatoes will absorb the dressing much better than cold ones.
Add the fresh mix-ins. Fold in the red onion and celery. Let the salad rest for 5 minutes so the onion softens slightly in the heat.
Finish and serve. Scatter the chopped parsley over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature. This salad holds well on a picnic table for up to 2 hours and can be made ahead and gently reheated.

Nutrition (per serving)

Roasted Two Potato Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette — My First Real Contribution to the Kowalski Cookout Spread