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Consider the potato
Some people just can't leave a good thing alone. A few enterprising folks down in Florida have begun to grow a low-carb potato they call the Florida SunLite. They wanted to call it "Spud Lite" but got spooked by copyright issues, so now it sounds more like diet orange juice than an Atkins-friendly tuber. I can't quite get my head around the idea of a low-carb potato. Isn't it the starchy, waxy, mealy, fluffy, creamy, crispy carbs that make us love the potato in the first place? Julia Child, who taught so many of us how to cook (and who died just a couple of weeks ago), really had the right idea about this dieting business. A small portion of a rich and perfect food, she thought, is so much more satisfying than a heaping plate of something modified and fake. She advocated eating all the things we want, but doing it in moderation. As always, I am happy to follow Ms. Child's lead. Besides having a magic touch in the kitchen, she nearly made it to 92, after all. How unhealthy could her diet be? So I'll be frank: I don't want anyone messing with my potatoes. I like them the way they are — fairly bursting with carbohydrates. Not only that, but I like to eat them with a healthy dollop of fats alongside. Baked potato? Give me good sweet butter. French fries? Delicious as they are after boiling in hot fat, they are even more excellent dipped into mayonnaise (or, if I am very, very lucky, sauce béarnaise). Scalloped potatoes? Top them with rich, nutty gruyere cheese. The potato-fat alliance is a winner, and one of the great things about summer is that it opens up a whole new set of variations on that theme in the form of potato salad. I have been a huge fan of potato salad since, well, my salad days. My mom made a great creamy, eggy, version I adored, and on my visits home from college, I always knew that a giant bowl of it would await me in the refrigerator. When I wrote a column about my dad for Father's Day this year, I mentioned Mom's potato salad and got a letter from a woman who said, "When I was a child, my grandmother made a great potato salad. At the time, I wasn't interested in the recipe. Later, it was too late. I have since tried several recipes, many good, but not quite right. Would you, could you, share your mother's recipe for potato salad with me?" Her letter reminded me of the importance of getting those traditional family recipes down on paper before the opportunity is forever gone. With that in mind, I have been hounding my mom for the recipe, but of course, she's never written it down either. Finally, I talked her through it on the phone, taking notes long distance, and trying to recreate in cups and teaspoons what has been handfuls and pinches all her life. I think we've got it close. But of course, mayonnaise and eggs aren't the only fats that make a potato salad great (which is a relief when you are serving it as part of a hot-weather picnic and don't want to risk food poisoning a whole crowd. Or even just a couple.) The French make an absolutely fabulous potato salad, with super olive oil, white wine, vinegar and chopped herbs (chives and tarragon!). The secret (and actually, this will raise any potato salad, even the creamy kind) from the good to the sublime) is to toss the potatoes with some wine, vinegar, or vinaigrette while they are still hot. They soak up the tangy flavors in a way cold potatoes can't, and then when you dress the salad at the end, the whole thing is much more complex and delicious. This salad also gives you the opportunity to showcase some beautiful potatoes, since the vinaigrette doesn't cover them up like mayonnaise does. Try the drop-dead gorgeous beauties sold by Anthony Blondin of Sun Circle Farm at our Saturday Farmers' Market. Anthony's rainbow potatoes are so colorful and pretty that you can't believe they are related to anything called "spuds." His Yukon Golds and Rose Golds have buttery yellow flesh (though the Rose Golds have pink skins), All Blue are deep purple all the way through, Cranberry Reds are a deep rose inside, and Caribe are pure white inside a purple skin. Together, in an herb flecked salad glistening with oil, they are a sight to behold, defying plebian potato salad stereotypes. One of the simplest potato salads of all (since there is no boiling and no peeling) is also one of the most delicious. Cut scrubbed new potatoes into bite-sized wedges (halves or quarters), toss with olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast at 400 degrees until lightly browned. This takes about half an hour. Don't do as I did recently and take a phone call when you should be keeping an eye on them, or they will be dried out inside. When they are done (you want them crispy on the edges, creamy inside, so keep tasting to be sure), toss them with balsamic vinegar and a little more oil. Add chopped scallions and red peppers, check for seasoning and serve at room temperature. Refrigeration is not a friend of this salad (it dries out the potatoes), so don't try to make it ahead of time. Obviously, the variations on potato salad are limitless. It's not authentic for some people if it isn't laden with pickles, or chopped dill, or yellow with mustard. Others prefer German potato salad, served warm, dressed with bacon fat and vinegar, or sweet potato salad, dressed with lime and chile oil for a Caribbean twist. When it comes to potato salad, the lesson is simple: it is hard to go wrong, as long as you leave the carbs in place, and add plenty of fat. My Mom's Potato SaladThere are probably as many variations on this creamy potato salad as there are moms. This is my mom's and I think it's the greatest. Some moms add mustard, or pickle relish. Others go with chopped dill pickle, or just chopped dill. The really important thing is that you corner your mom and make her write her recipe down! 5 pounds smallish white or red potatoes 1 dozen eggs, hard boiled 2 bunches scallions, cleaned 2 cucumbers, peeled and seeded 1 cup (approximately) mayonnaise 1 teaspoon dried oregano (more to taste) salt and pepper to taste Boil potatoes until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and peel as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Cut into 1 inch cubes. (Mom never does this, but I toss the warm potatoes with a couple of tablespoons of white wine vinegar while they are warm.) Chop the eggs into roughly 1 inch pieces. Quarter the cucumbers lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Chop up the scallions. Add chopped eggs and vegetables to the bowl with the potatoes. Stir in a cup of mayonnaise (more or less depending on your taste.) Add oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Chill until ready to serve. Serves about 12. French Potato Salad with Herbed Vinaigrette(Pommes à l'Huile) 1 1/2 pounds small new potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled (I like to use multicolored potatoes from the Farmers' Market, but you can also use a single variety) 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons good white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons dry white wine (optional) salt and freshly ground pepper 2 shallots, finely chopped Chopped fresh herb (chives, flat leafed parsley and tarragon) Steam or boil the potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes. Make vinaigrette of 1/2 cup oil, the wine (if you are using it), 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Drain the potatoes and peel as soon as they are cool enough to handle (the skins should slip off easily with a paring knife.) Cut into 1/2 inch slices and toss gently with the vinaigrette. Set aside for half an hour to absorb the dressing. Whish the remaining oil, vinegar, shallots and herbs together. Just before serving the salad, toss it with the herb dressing and check for salt and pepper. Serves four. Based on a recipe in Patricia Wells, Bistro Cooking,
Workman, 1989. |
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