Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Twist on an old classic: potato salad.

In my house, sometimes we get a little crazy when it comes to food.  Lucky for me, my husband is usually up for the challenge.  On Monday night, we went all out: we ate potato salad for dinner.  That's right.  Potato salad.  For dinner.
 It was supplemented by a lovely, wholesome fruit smoothie.  I packed a lot into those glasses.  The base of our smoothie mix was all fruit; I pureed the strawberries from our box into a kind of strawberry juice, then added frozen berries (cranberries from last holiday season, plus another berry-cherry mix from Trader Joe's).  Here's where things got a little wild.  I also added: flax seed, orange juice, yogurt, honey, and a banana.  This was a serious smoothie.  (Note to self: must try adding spinach at some point!!  Green Monsters are all the rage in the blog world, and I have never tried one.)
The potato salad wasn't some ordinary picnic potato salad, though it was a creamy-based rather than French-style (dijon vinaigrette) potato salad.  I started with a recipe from Ina Garten and, of course, tweaked it a bit.  I added parsley (from the box!), 2 hard-boiled eggs, prepared horseradish, and a bit of white vinegar for some tang.  That's two Ina-based meals in one week!  She never disappoints.  I have a secret girl crush on that lady.  I want to live with her in the Hamptons and eat her scones every morning for breakfast.
 Here's my version of the recipe.  It was definitely a bit piquant but totally delicious!  I highly recommend it.

Potato Salad
Adapted from Ina Garten via The Food Network

1 1/2 to 2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed (use the lesser amount if you plan to add hardboiled eggs)
1/2 cup Miracle Whip or mayo (I love the Miracle Whip - no clue why!)
1/8 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
3 green onions, white and light green parts, sliced
2 hardboiled eggs, peeled and diced
salt and pepper

Put the potatoes and salt in a medium saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until barely tender.  Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander over the empty pot (off the heat) and cover with a clean kitchen towel.  Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.

While the potatoes steam, make the dressing.  Combine the Miracle Whip, buttermilk, mustard, horseradish, and vinegar; add salt and pepper to taste.  When the potatoes are done, cut them into 1/2 inch pieces and place in a medium bowl.  Add the prepared dressing while the potatoes are still warm, mixing to coat evenly.  Stir in the parsley, red onion, green onion, and hard-boiled egg.  Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before eating.  Serve cold or at room temperature.

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