Thursday, June 9, 2011

Better than Average Potato Salad

I first made this potato salad a handful of years ago.  It is a huge conglomeration of flavors – some you may think of putting in your usual, everyday potato salad but feel a little hesitant to do so.  With this recipe, you can go overboard and give your taste buds a run for their money!  I actually do not usually put everything in this potato salad when I make the recipe for it can seem to be a bit much.

The first thing I love about this recipe is that you don’t have to peel the potatoes and once they are cool, you just mash them up with your hands to look like this:

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As you can see from the photo, I used red potatoes, whereas the recipe calls for “Yukon gold potatoes”.  Choose which kind you would like to eat, and run with it!

When I made the recipe this time, I omitted the red onion – mostly because I am not a raw onion fan – and the dill – because I feel there is enough dill flavor with the dill pickles.  Also, I used the Dijon mustard that has a good kick - you know the one with the brown flecks all over?  If you use that kind, you might want to use half the “required” amount.  I did use the entire amount, but the kids (and teens) did not quite like the punch the salad gave.  The adults did like it, though.

Oh, I don’t drizzle the salad with olive oil before serving either.

A note about boiling eggs:  I learned a method from a blog a while ago, and it truly results in great boiled eggs.  Basically, you cook the eggs for nine minutes (not 12) once the water starts boiling at a pretty good boil.  Then you put them in an ice water bath immediately following. 

When your next summer event pops up, give this recipe a try.  I think you and your company will like it.  This recipe, as is, makes a fairly small batch of potato salad – probably serving about 6 people.  I doubled it for our occasion with about a dozen people.

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Potato Salad by Tyler Florence

via the Food Network

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds small Yukon gold potatoes
  • 2 large eggs
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 bunch sliced scallions, white and green parts
  • 2 tablespoons drained capers
  • 2 cups mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickles with 1/4 cup juice, about 2 pickles
  • 1/2 small red onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/2 bunch dill, chopped
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

Put the potatoes and eggs into a big saucepan of cold salted water. Bring to a simmer. After 12 minutes remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and let cool. Continue cooking the potatoes until a paring knife poked into them goes in without resistance, about 3 minutes longer. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them cool.

Reserve some scallion greens and capers for garnish. Meanwhile, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, pickles and their juice, onion, remaining scallions and capers, parsley, and lemon juice in a bowl large enough to hold the potatoes. Peel the cool eggs and grate them into the bowl. Stick a fork into the potatoes and lift them 1 at a time out of the colander. Break up the potatoes by hand into rough chunks, add them to the bowl and toss to coat with the dressing. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little olive oil before serving.

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