With summer on the horizon, it's time to think about potato salad
At a national potato salad contest I judged last summer, every entrant claimed to have the “best” recipe. After sampling more varieties than I can remember, I came to the obvious conclusion that taste is truly a matter of personal opinion.
I couldn't enter either of my potato salads into that contest, but I still think either of these “coulda been a contender.” One has all the components of classic American potato salad with a little pizzazz. The secret ingredient is celery seed. This salad is creamy, mustardy and even includes chopped, hard-boiled eggs. Make sure to keep the salad chilled at all times to avoid any health problems.
My other recipe is a zesty, tomato-vinaigrette-dressed potato salad that has no dairy in it, so you can serve it at an outside gathering without worrying about leaving it in the sun. It is also perfect for those allergic to dairy. Much of the flavor comes from the sun-dried tomato pesto, balsamic vinegar and capers.
I prefer unpeeled potatoes for potato salad because they add color (not to mention it saves time in the kitchen). Scrub them well, because there can be dirt on them.
Contact Diane Rossen Worthington at seriouslysimple.com.
Diane's Old-Fashioned Potato Salad
3 pounds medium red rose or bliss, tan-skinned or yellow (Yukon Gold) potatoes
Water, for boiling
Salt
3⁄4 cup sour cream
3⁄4 cup mayonnaise
2 ribs celery, finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
2 teaspoons celery seed
1⁄4 cup chopped parsley
2 large hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon grainy mustard
Freshly ground white pepper
Chopped parsley, for garnish
Wash and scrub off any dirt on the potatoes.
In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the potatoes for 30 minutes or until they are tender but slightly resistant when pierced with a fork. Drain and cool the potatoes. Do not peel them. Cut them into 2-inch chunks and place the chunks in a medium bowl.
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, celery, green onion, celery seed, parsley, chopped egg and mustard. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Mix well.
Pour the mixture over the potatoes and mix gently until the potatoes are coated. Taste for seasoning. Refrigerate the potato salad for at least 2 hours or up to one day ahead.
To serve the potato salad, transfer it to a serving bowl and garnish it with parsley. Serve it cold.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Potato Salad With Sun-Dried Tomato Caper Vinaigrette
1⁄4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons store-bought sun-dried tomato pesto
2 tablespoons drained and rinsed capers
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1⁄2 cup olive oil
3 pounds small potatoes such as creamers or fingerlings, unpeeled
Water, for boiling
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish
In a small bowl, combine the vinegars, mustard, tomato pesto, capers and parsley. Season it with salt and pepper, and whisk well to combine. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Set it aside.
Wash the potatoes and scrub off any dirt.
In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the potatoes for about 20 to 25 minutes or until they are tender but slightly resistant when pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes and cool them slightly. Cut them into bite-size chunks and place the chunks in a medium bowl.
Pour the vinaigrette over the potatoes ,and mix gently until the potatoes are coated. Taste for seasoning.
Transfer the potato salad to a serving bowl, and refrigerate it for at least 1 to 2 hours. Remove it from the refrigerator 1 hour before serving. Garnish it with parsley and serve.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
