Potato Salad Two Ways

By popular consensus, Memorial Weekend marks the official start of the picnic and barbeque season and summer for that matter. Although, I think it's a good idea to have a barbeque as soon as I can don my flip flops and yank out all the patio furniture. That's one thing about living through the New England winters -- I cannot wait to dine outdoors again!

So, with the start of BBQ season just around the corner, I thought it would be fitting to post a recipe for one of the most popular side dishes on the picnic table - the good ole' potato salad. I think just about everyone has eaten it and just about everyone likes it, or a least some version of it. As the title of my post hints, I have two particular ways of whipping up a potato salad: one with mayonnaise and one without. I really do like both. Which one I make depends on my mood, what else I'm serving, and the preferences of my guests. For example, I would never make the creamy potato salad for my mother-in-law. She hates mayo!

And, now, you may say..."well... if it's hot outside, why not just make the one without mayo -- it'll last longer in the heat". This is a popular misconception that I think we've all grown up with - mayonnaise will spoil in the heat. Yes, while this IS completely true; it is NOT the reason you could get ill if you eat potato salad that has been sitting out too long. It's time for a little science. Starchy foods, such as potatoes, have a very neutral pH level, which makes them very susceptible to bacterial growth. And, actually, commercially prepared mayonnaise is considered acidic (it contains vinegar and/or lemon juice) and in theory, bacteria grows slower in acidic environments. I'm not in any way advocating that salads prepared with mayonnaise will not grow bacteria.

My point is that mayonnaise has been getting a bad rap -- it's not its fault that little Susie became ill after eating the potato salad that had been sitting on the picnic table for 3 hours in the 90 degree heat. It's also the potato's fault, the onion's fault and the egg's fault. All potato salads will spoil if left in the danger zone (40-140 degrees) long enough.

I hope you experiment with and enjoy these recipes. Bring one to your next family gathering. But, please don't forget to keep it chilled!

European-Style Potato Salad

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1/4 cup  white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 tablespoon coarse ground mustard

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon table salt)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. Place the whole potatoes in a large pot covered with 1 inch of water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Turn heat down to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are just tender. Drain and let sit until cool enough to handle

2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook until softened, about one minute (do not brown).

3. Slice potatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Toss gently with shallots, garlic, white wine vinegar, mustards, parsley, chives, olive oil and salt and pepper. Be very careful not to crush the potatoes.

4. Garnish with extra chopped chives and parsley.

5. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature prior to serving.

8 servings  

Sweet Pea Cuisine LLC

Creamy Lemon-Herb Potato Salad

3 pounds red skinned potatoes, cut into 1 inch dice

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup light sour cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons lemon juice

zest of one lemon

1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon table salt)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 stalks celery, finely diced

1/2 red onion, finely diced

1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes

2 tablespoons finely minced chives

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

3 tablespoons finely chopped dill

1. In a large pot of salted water,  bring potatoes to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Simmer for about 8-10 minutes or until just barely tender. Drain. Let sit until warm.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper. Mix in the celery, red onion, radishes, chives, parsley and dill. Gently fold this mixture into the potatoes. 

3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

4. Garnish with extra herbs and a sprig of dill.

8 servings

Sweet Pea Cuisine LLC