the food faffer

Due to popular demand, I’m posting the recipe for one of my favorite versions of potato salad. Peet and I had a multitude of people over at the weekend… and, after consuming a copious amount of this stuff, there were several requests for the recipe… and I’m nothing but compliant!!

This mayo-less, sour cream-less side dish originally caught my eye because I was needing a potato salad recipe that could sit outside on a table for much longer than its dairy/eggy relatives. Not that I would want to leave this out for hours on end… but I can definitely have my paranoid moments when it comes to guessing how long mayonnaise has been basking in 80ºF temperatures.

The added bonus of this version is that my friend Bernie can’t stand mayo or sour cream. So this one works for her. I think. (Bernie, am I remembering correctly that you like this??) Unfortunately, her hubby, Shane, doesn’t like mustard… so I’m still on the look-out for a version that satisfies both palates. Let me know in the “Comments” if you have something up your sleeve that’s been tried and tested…

I used the tri-colored fingerling potatoes this time, mainly for presentation purposes. I’ve used pretty much any variety of spuds in the past, and the dish has never let me down. If someone put a gun to my head, though, I’d probably default to fingerlings (colored or otherwise) simply because they retain a sturdy, creamy texture when cooled to room temperature. Also, they can sometimes be tricky to find in the stores (especially if you live in Memphis), which must mean they’re more special, right??!!!

This dish is equally wonderful whether it’s served warm or at room temperature. Just make sure you toss the tats in the mustard mixture while they’re still warm in order for the maximum flavor to be absorbed into the potatoes as they “rest”.

So, to the recipe…

Dijon Potato Salad
(From Food Network’s Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, with some tweaks…)
Serves 12… generously!!

1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tsp chopped fresh herbs of your choice
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
1/3 – 1/2 cup olive oil
5 lbs fingerling potatoes, unpeeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

1. Put the potatoes in a pot of cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for approximately 15 mins, until a sharp knife can be inserted easily. Drain the potatoes and tip into a large bowl.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, mix together the onion, mustard, vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until the mixture has a thick, pourable consistency and add to the potatoes, tossing to coat.
3. Serve warm or allow to cool to room temperature… and enjoy!!

Woo hoo!!  Here it is: my first humble contribution to the mighty world of blogging!!

For my first post, I decided to share a very uncomplicated dessert with you.  I was desperately wanting to get something uploaded, just to get me out of modus procrastinitus (I’m sure that’s an official term, right??)… so this seemed like a good one to get started with…

We eat strawberries a lot in our house, both for sweet and savory courses.  But I’ve never thought of roasting the little things before.  When I saw this recipe on Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy, something leaped inside of me… and off I went to stock up on strawberries.

Ideally, I would have liked my berries to have been bite-sized so I could roast them whole.  The thought of sticking my spoon into their squishy plumpness and having the juice burst out onto my plate had me salivating!!  However, the only ones I could find were the size of my fist (seriously!!), and I ended up cutting each one into 6-8 bite-sized pieces.  I don’t think it really mattered, to be honest… but I’d like to try this again with smaller specimens just to make sure!!

By the way, I’m aware that the strawberries that we can get at this time of the year aren’t the most flavorful.  Slow-roasting them really brings out their flavor, so this is a great way to use them up if they taste less than inspiring.

In case you’re slightly nervous about mixing balsamic vinegar with fruit, please allow me to reassure you that this is a combination made in heaven.  The vinegar is far from offensive since you’re only using a small quantity, and it gives the juice from the sugared berries a pleasant zinginess.  Speaking of the juice, don’t panic if it looks thin when you pull the berries from the oven.  As everything cools, the juice will thicken.

So, what do you do with these once they’re cooled?  Top them with homemade granola (recipe to come) and a dollop of Greek yogurt.  Spoon them over rich vanilla ice cream and top it off with some dark chocolate curls.  Add them to your breakfast smoothie.  Being a Brit, I love the idea of having them with homemade cheese scones (recipe to come) instead of jam.  Warmed up, they’re great over some roast chicken.  Oi oi oi… the list is endless!!  If you make these, maybe let me know in the “comments” how you served them.  I feel a strawberry-fest coming on!!

Slow-Roasted Balsamic Strawberries
(From Sticky Gooey Creamy Chewy, with a few minor tweaks…)

1 quart (32 oz) fresh strawberries, hulled
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
10 fresh mint leaves, chopped
salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 250ºF.
2. Put the berries in a large bowl, sprinkle over the sugar and mint, and toss together.
3. Add the balsamic and gently toss to coat all the berries.
4. Lay the strawberries in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and fresh black pepper.
5. Bake for an hour or so, until the berries are soft.
6. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and store in the fridge.

Enjoy!!