I've never met a potato I didn't like, and as we come up on the holiday weekend, I know that potato salads will grace many tables this weekend. We all have our favorites, whether it has dill and red potatoes, mixed with mayonnaise, or a French potato salad tossed with a vinaigrette, or a roasted potato salad, they are all delicious and as I've said a few times here, I think the sides are sometimes more important than the main dishes and this holiday weekend is no exception. So I am sharing my favorite sides for you this weekend.
- A little tutorial on potato salads: only use low starch potatoes, like reds, Yukon golds, or white creamers, and boil them with the skins on, protecting the potato from getting waterlogged.
- Cool the potatoes completely before cutting.
- Use a high quality mayonnaise; I love Best Foods/Hellmans
- Check your paprika, it should be bright red, and have an aroma, if not toss it and buy new, it actually has a flavor and an aroma, it's not just a garnish.
- If you are making hard boiled eggs, use older eggs, not those fresh from the hen, otherwise, they will not peel well.
- When using mayonnaise for potato salads, save a bit of the dressing for re-dressing the salad just before serving. The mayonnaise will be absorbed by the potatoes, and the salad may appear dry before serving, good to have a bit of dressing in reserve, just in case.
Mom’s Old Fashioned Potato Salad
Serves 8 to 10
6 pounds red potatoes
6 pounds red potatoes
6 ribs celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion, or 6 scallions (white and tender green parts), finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped sweet pickles
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped European cucumber
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon sweet pickle juice
1 to 2 tablespoons milk, as needed, to thin the dressing
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1. Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water to cover until just tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, let cool a bit, and refrigerate until cold.
2. Peel the potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces, and transfer them to a large salad bowl. Add the celery, onion, pickles, about 2/3 of the eggs, the parsley, and cucumber. Sprinkle with the oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and toss to blend.
3. Do-Ahead: At this point, you can cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
4. In a medium-size bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, pickle juice, and milk, whisking to blend until smooth. Pour half the dressing over the potatoes and stir gently to coat.
5. Do-Ahead: At this point, cover and refrigerate the salad, the remaining dressing, and eggs for at least 4 hours or overnight.
6. One hour before serving, taste the salad and add additional dressing, tossing gently to coat.
7. Cover the top of the salad with the remaining sliced eggs, sprinkle with the paprika, and refrigerate until just before serving.
Dilly Red Potato Salad
Serves 8 to 10
6 pounds medium-size red, Yukon Gold, new white, or fingerling potatoes
6 ribs celery, finely chopped
8 scallions (white and tender green parts), finely chopped
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 to 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh dill, to your taste
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1. Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water to cover until just tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes, let cool a bit, and refrigerate until cold.
2. Peel the potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces, and transfer them to a large salad bowl. Add the celery and scallions, sprinkle with the vinegar, oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper, and toss to coat the potatoes.
3. Do-Ahead: At this point, you can cover and refrigerate overnight.
4. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, lemon zest, dill, and 1/2 teaspoon of the paprika.
5. Toss the potatoes with half the dressing, stirring gently to coat.
6. Do-Ahead: At this point, cover and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours before serving.
7. Thirty minutes before serving, toss the salad again, adding more dressing if needed. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of paprika and serve.
French Potato Salad
Serves 8 to 10
6 pounds Yukon Gold or red potatoes
6 pounds Yukon Gold or red potatoes
6 scallions (white and tender green parts), finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, cut in half
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. Cook the potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water to cover until just tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, let cool a bit, and refrigerate until cold.
2. Peel the potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces, and transfer them to a large salad bowl. Add the scallions, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, all but 1 tablespoon of the basil, and the garlic and toss gently to combine.
3. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper until blended. Pour half over the potatoes and stir gently to mix.
4.
5. One hour before serving, toss the salad with additional dressing, remove the garlic cloves, and garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and 1 tablespoon basil.
Cole Slaw
Serves 8 to 10
For the Cabbage:
12 cups cored and thinly sliced green cabbage (2 heads)
2 cups cored and thinly sliced red cabbage (1/2 head)
6 medium-size carrots, shredded
1. In a large salad bowl, combine the cabbages and carrots.
For the Dressing
2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons milk, or as needed
1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until smooth. Taste the vinegar and sugar and adjust if necessary. Pour over the slaw and toss to combine well.
2. Do-Ahead: At this point, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.
Variations:
· If you’d like to omit the red cabbage, substitute additional carrots or green cabbage.
Poppy Seed Coleslaw: Right before serving, stir in 1/3 cup of poppy seeds
·
Barbecue Baked Beans
Serves 10
8 strips bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
Four 15.5-ounce cans plain baked beans
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1. In a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring, until crisp.
2. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat, add the onions, and cook, stirring, until softened and starting to turn golden.
3. Add the beans, ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard, Worcestershire, and brown sugar and stir to blend.
4. Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, for 45 minutes.
5. Do-Ahead: At this point, you can let cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Gently reheat.
Perfect Corn on the Cob
Serves 8 to 10
12 quarts water
2 tablespoons sugar
12 to 14 ears fresh corn, shucked, with silks removed
1. Bring 6 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of sugar to a boil in each of 2 large pots.
2. Add half the corn to each pot and return the water to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat.
3. Do-Ahead: The corn can sit in the water for up to 30 minutes before serving.
As we celebrate the Fourth of July, our independence day, let's remember those who serve our country in far off places, leaving their loved ones at home.
The role of a military spouse is difficult, and deployments can seem never ending; celebrate and thank those who serve, and their families as well they are the real American heroes.
Cheers from San Diego!
The role of a military spouse is difficult, and deployments can seem never ending; celebrate and thank those who serve, and their families as well they are the real American heroes.
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