Baked Potato Salad

Oh Potato Salad - It's been too long.  I really can't live without you until summer. I need your lovin' - like the sunshine. I think Beck would understand. I've used every potato I have, used the last of the gherkins, rummaged through my vegetable crisper drawers and found the last two spring onions and a bunch of basil. Not only do I have my potato salad, but I've had a (very early) spring cleaning session in the process. It's like the Eternal Sunshine of Spotless Kitchen around here.

Baked Potato Salad
from Food Network
Serves 4-6

1kg potatoes (I used Dutch Creams), washed and dried
1 large bunch parsley,  thoroughly washed and roughly chopped
1 bunch basil, thoroughly washed and dried, roughly chopped
Sea salt flakes and freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch sugar
4 to 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 spring onions, finely sliced
2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon capers and 1 teaspoon caper liquid
4 to 6 gherkins, cut into small dice, plus 1 tablespoon gherkin liquid

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in a baking dish and put it in the centre of the oven. Bake for about an hour.

In a blender, combine the parsley and basil leaves. Season with salt and white pepper, to taste. Add the water and blend. Add 1/2 cup of the olive oil and blend again. This doesn't need to be a smooth puree. It should be a little rustic and chunky. Taste for seasoning and add pinch of sugar. Pulse to combine and set aside.

In a serving bowl large enough to hold the potatoes, stir together the red wine vinegar, spring onions, mustard, capers and liquid, and gherkins and liquid. Add 1/4 cup of the herb oil and toss. Taste for seasoning. Stir in half of the parsley/basil puree. When the potatoes are tender, remove them from the oven. Set them aside until they are cool enough to handle.. Peel half of them, leave some with the skin still on. Cut them into bite-size pieces.

Put the potatoes in the bowl with the dressing. Season lightly with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss them in the dressing. Serve the remaining parsley/basil puree on the side. Keep at room temperature until serving.