One of the essentials of good potato salad is perfectly cooked potatoes and eggs. Combine that with a great dressing and a couple of fun additions like walnuts and chopped cornichons, and you have a fantastic recipe.
Put the walnuts on a baking sheet. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes until golden and fragrant. Set the pan aside to cool
Steam your potatoes in a covered steamer basket for 20 to 30 minutes until tender. Transfer to a plate to cool. Cut the potatoes in half.
While the potatoes are steaming, bring two quarts of water to a hard boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Carefully lower your eggs into the pot and boil for 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to a simmer; simmer for an additional 10 minutes. If you prefer a harder cooked egg, increase the time up to 12 minutes. Remove the pan from heat, drain the water and add cold water to the pan. Let the pan sit until the eggs are cool enough to handle. Then, peel the eggs and set them aside.
Whisk the vinegar, mustard, and honey together in a large bowl. Gradually pour in the oil while whisking. Whisk until the mixture emulsifies. Stir in the tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Set aside three tablespoons of the vinaigrette.
Add the potatoes to the bowl with the parsley. Toss to coat. Put the potatoes on a platter. Cut the eggs in half and tuck them into the potatoes. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the walnuts, cornichons, and chives, and serve.