SPRING BBQ MENU: Turkey Burgers with Red Onion and Beet Relish; Warm Blue Potato & Green Onion Salad; Spring Tonic Salad
When the weather starts getting warm, and we begin breaking out our best bright pink sundresses and laying our best bright blue picnic blankets on the Great Lawn, I start craving potato salad. It’s no secret that my mother has a bit of an obsession with mayonnaise, so it should be no surprise that the version I grew up with contained plenty of it. It also contained plenty of gourmet twists though-lots of fresh chives and parsley, really good hot French mustard, and a sprinkle of capers to give the bland, creamy potatoes an extra briney bite.
But it isn’t quite summer yet, and perhaps not quite time for my mother’s creamy classic potato salad either. The Farmer’s Market is finally starting to show some color, so a few weeks ago I decided to make a potato salad based on the vibrant ingredients I saw there. The dish was intended for a picnic, and the weather was supposed to be warm. But Mother Nature turned on us. So I made the salad for myself in my apartment, and since there was no sun to bask in, I decided to compensate by adding a little warmth to my potato salad instead.
From my kitchen, albeit small, to yours,
Phoebe, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK
Makes 2-3 servings
1 pound small blue potatoes, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 green onions (scallions), white parts thinly sliced, green parts cut into 2 inch pieces
2 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons chicken stock
1/4 tsp salt
Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil. Cook the potatoes until al dente-nearly cooked through, but still slightly firm. This will take about 5-10 minutes, but test with the point of a knife as you go. Drain the potatoes.
In the same pot, over medium heat, add the olive oil, garlic, and white part of the scallions. Saute until the garlic is beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add the vinegar, stock, and salt and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute. Add the potatoes back to the pot and cook for another minute or so. Off the heat, add the green part of the scallions and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
