Saturday, July 28, 2007

Potato Salad

I'm a big fan of Ina Garten, better known as The Barefoot Contessa. I love watching her show & I'm lucky enough to have all of her cookbooks. Mike is not such a fan & hates that she always thinks she needs to remind you to use "good" ingredients. I was surprised when he suggested we try the potato salad recipe she had made on a recent episode. He fixed it for our family's 4th of July celebration & it was a big hit. The potatoes are tender but not at all mushy, & the celery & onion add just the right amount of crunch. We made a batch this evening to take to a family dinner at my mom's house tomorrow. It's a simple recipe & it's even better the 2nd or 3rd day. The addition of a few hard-boiled eggs would be delicious.

I love being in the kitchen with Mike. We have a lot of fun cooking together & I adore the intense look he gets in his eyes while following a recipe. There's a feeling of contentment in the air & it's always nice just being together. We're moving into a new house soon & the kitchen is fantastic. And although I'm very sad to be leaving our current kitchen behind (it's where I cooked my first turkey), I know we'll make wonderful memories in our new one.

POTATO SALAD
Copyright, 2006, Ina Garten

3 pounds small white potatoes
Kosher salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red onion

Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in quarters or in half, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. Add the celery and red onion, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

*We left out the dill.

4 comments:

sis2non said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
sis2non said...

This is the best potato salad I have ever eaten! The potatoes still have a little crunch and the flavor is just terrific. Two thumbs up for Mike. Tonia, make sure he remembers to use "good" ingredients. LOL

Amy

JANET said...

Buttermilk, huh? I'll have to try this!

Nicole said...

LOL! Ina does like to remind us to use "only good ingredients". Although I love her that gets on my nerves too. Glad Im not the only one. hehe

 
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