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Make it better: That's right. It's time to move beyond the potato salad recipe you've been cranking out for a dozen (or more) years. It's time to build a better potato salad. (Bill Hogan/Chicago Tribune) |
Mix up the mix-ins
Sub a vinaigrette or yogurt dressing for the usual mayo-base and consider these ideas from Myers, or try the recipe:
Mediterranean: Seeded cucumber cubes (instead of celery), kalamata olives, feta chunks, fire-roasted tomatoes.
Mexican: Diced bell pepper, cooked corn kernels, diced red onion, fresh cilantro.
Farmers market: Snips of fresh herbs or tomatoes with fresh spinach and a lemon vinaigrette.
Dress 'em hot? Or dress 'em cold?
Whether you add a dressing to warm potatoes depends on how strong you want flavors. "If you allow potatoes to cool then add ingredients, the potato salad is going to have a purer potato flavor," Myers says. "If you want the potatoes to take on the flavor of the other ingredients, toss added ingredients while warm."
Smoked potato salad with Vidalia onions, horseradish and mustard
Note: Adapted from "American Flavor," a cookbook by New York chef Andrew Carmellini, who suggests yellow-fleshed potatoes (such as Yukon Gold). We used halved fingerlings, with excellent results.
Potatoes:
Par-cook and grill 2 pounds halved fingerling potatoes, following "On the grill" tip (at left).
Mix-ins:
Dice 4 bacon slices; cook in a skillet until just crisped. Add 1 cup diced Vidalia onion. Caramelize onions. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup each red wine vinegar and beef broth, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, pinch cayenne pepper, 1/8 teaspoon ground celery seed, plus 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place cooked potatoes in a shallow baking dish. Pour bacon-onion mixture on top. Chill uncovered in refrigerator 2 hours.
Sauce:
Mix 1 cup yogurt with 1 tablespoon prepared white horseradish, 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; chill until serving.
Serve:
Gently stir 1 cup chopped celery and 1/2 cup chopped green onions into potato salad. Adjust seasoning. Place in serving bowl. Top with some horseradish sauce. Sprinkle with 1 bunch watercress leaves. Serve extra horseradish sauce on the side.
jhevrdejs@tribune.com
Sub a vinaigrette or yogurt dressing for the usual mayo-base and consider these ideas from Myers, or try the recipe:
Mediterranean: Seeded cucumber cubes (instead of celery), kalamata olives, feta chunks, fire-roasted tomatoes.
Mexican: Diced bell pepper, cooked corn kernels, diced red onion, fresh cilantro.
Farmers market: Snips of fresh herbs or tomatoes with fresh spinach and a lemon vinaigrette.
Dress 'em hot? Or dress 'em cold?
Whether you add a dressing to warm potatoes depends on how strong you want flavors. "If you allow potatoes to cool then add ingredients, the potato salad is going to have a purer potato flavor," Myers says. "If you want the potatoes to take on the flavor of the other ingredients, toss added ingredients while warm."
Smoked potato salad with Vidalia onions, horseradish and mustard
Note: Adapted from "American Flavor," a cookbook by New York chef Andrew Carmellini, who suggests yellow-fleshed potatoes (such as Yukon Gold). We used halved fingerlings, with excellent results.
Potatoes:
Par-cook and grill 2 pounds halved fingerling potatoes, following "On the grill" tip (at left).
Mix-ins:
Dice 4 bacon slices; cook in a skillet until just crisped. Add 1 cup diced Vidalia onion. Caramelize onions. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup each red wine vinegar and beef broth, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard, pinch cayenne pepper, 1/8 teaspoon ground celery seed, plus 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place cooked potatoes in a shallow baking dish. Pour bacon-onion mixture on top. Chill uncovered in refrigerator 2 hours.
Sauce:
Mix 1 cup yogurt with 1 tablespoon prepared white horseradish, 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; chill until serving.
Serve:
Gently stir 1 cup chopped celery and 1/2 cup chopped green onions into potato salad. Adjust seasoning. Place in serving bowl. Top with some horseradish sauce. Sprinkle with 1 bunch watercress leaves. Serve extra horseradish sauce on the side.
jhevrdejs@tribune.com
