Nothing says summertime like potato salad. And hot dogs. And fireworks and sunburn and watermelon.  The perfect BBQ side, potato salad is a diverse dish that can be easily adapted to suit your tastes. You can go old school and use mayo and mustard or you can go the olive oil and vinegar route. Choose your preferred tater— red potatoes, sweet potatoes, yukon gold and fingerling work well. Then you add the fixings— chopped egg, pickles, celery, red onion, fresh herbs, capers, the sky’s the limit! This particular recipe calls for sauteed leeks, which are just divine and so springy. I decided to add capers for a little bite. Next time, I might add diced red pepper or red onion for a little more crunch and color. Pairs well with a slab of ribs. But, really, what doesn’t pair well with a slab of ribs?

Wash your leeks!

Potato Salad with Leeks 

Adapted from Bon Appetit 

3 1/2 lbs of small yukon gold potatoes

3 medium leeks (pale green and white parts only)

1 tbsp kosher salt plus more for seasoning

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

pepper

6 tbsp olive oil

Handful of capers

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add 1 tbsp of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Drain. When potatoes cool, cut them in half. Cut your leeks in half lengthwise and then into 1/4 inch pieces crosswise. Place the leeks in a large bowl and fill with cold water. Swish the leeks around to loosen the dirt. You will start to see the dirt settle in the bottom of the bowl. Remove leeks with a slotted spoon and repeat the process until you are satisfied that the leeks are cleaned. In a frying pan, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat and add leeks. Season with salt and saute for about 10 minutes. Whisk 4 tbsp of olive oil, Dijon and white wine vinegar together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add potatoes, leeks and capers and toss in the vinaigrette. You can make this dish 1 day ahead. It’s best when the flavors have time to marinate together.