Anchovy & Italian Parsley Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:
6 hard boiled eggs, cut in half lengthwise
2 anchovy filets (packed in oil and blotted dry)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt
pepper

capote capers for garnish

Directions:
Place the yolks, anchovies, spices and condiments in a blender (I used my Vita-Mix)or food proccessor. Pulse until smooth.


Divide the mixture evenly among the halves. Garnish with a a caper.

My thoughts:

Ah, yes, deviled eggs again. I made this particular batch to serve along side Caesar Salad. I got the idea from a restaurant I visited a while back that had served their salads with an unexpected deviled egg garnish. It was a cute touch that honestly bumped up my enjoyment of the whole meal. Their version was a bit more traditional, I decided to spike mine with anchovies to better tie in with the salad. I normally just fork-mash my yolks but I didn't any random fishy bits or pokey bones in my final product so I Vita-Mixed them, which worked well, but as always, I found it a bit difficult to scrape out all of the thick mixture out from under the blades. Perhaps I am too impatient. Anyway! The texture was smooth and creamy and while they were perhaps the most savory deviled eggs I have every made, they did not taste overwhelmingly anchovy-y.

Smoked Salmon Quiche with an Old Bay Asagio Crust

Ingredients:
for the crust:
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cold butter, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/4 cup shredded asagio
2-4 tablespoons ice water
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay

filling:
8 oz smoked salmon, flaked (not lox)
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3/4 cup shredded asagio
2 tablespoons capote capers
2 teaspoons tarragon white wine vinegar
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425. Place the pepper, butter, flour and cheese into a food processor. Add water one tablespoon at a time and pulse just until mixture sticks together. Form the dough into a ball. Roll out into a crust and place in a pie plate or quiche pan or tart pan. Prick with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes or until just browned. Turn oven down to 325. Meanwhile, whisk together the milk and eggs. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into the prepared shell. Bake 45-50 minutes or until fully cooked.

My thoughts:

I honestly am not sure the last time, if ever, I made quiche. I had always thought of it as using rather a lot of eggs, but I guess not. Four eggs makes for a slightly firmer quiche than some but I think it works better with the salmon than a more custardy texture would. Once again, I used evaporated milk for a rich flavor without the fat of the more commonly called for half and half or heavy cream.

I really loved the crust I made. It wasn't too spicy but had a great kick from the Old Bay and cheese. It was a really easy dough to roll out too. I echoed the crust in the filling by using the same cheese in it but I kept the flavors simple to accentuate the smoked salmon.

Caesar Salad with Toasty Garlic Croutons

Ingredients:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
juice and zest of 1 lemon
4 anchovies (oil packed)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (or 2 coddled or raw egg yolks)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon
1 teaspoon capers
freshly ground black pepper
sea salt

for the croutons:
3 cups cubed bread
olive oil
dried basil
dried parsley
garlic powder



3 heads romaine, roughly chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan


Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Place the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of the spices. Toss and sprinkle with spices again as needed. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 5-8 minutes then toss again. Bake an additional 2 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool. This can be done the night before you want to eat the salad.

Add all of the dressing ingredients to a blender. Pulse until smooth.

Toss the lettuce with the dressing. Sprinkle liberally with croutons and Parmesan.

My thoughts:

I made Caesar Salad recently and it was an unexpected delight. I, of course, have had it out but I had never made it myself before. It had so much flavor from the fresh dressing and homemade croutons.

Caesar Salad is a great salad for wintertime because it doesn't require any of the usual salad ingredients (tomato, cucumber, radish etc) which are all out of season. It is pretty easy to find tasty, crisp greenhouse romaine all winter.

The "official" recipe for the dressing is a bit vague so I cobbled together what I thought might be the best version. The trick is to use the best olive oil, anchovies (although some argue these were not in the original recipe) and cheese you have.

Smoked Salmon and Caper Grilled Flatbread

Ingredients:
5 1/2 cups bread flour
2 cups warm water
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
olive oil for greasing the bowl

8 oz smoked salmon
2 1/2 cups shredded smoked gouda
1/4 cup capote capers


Directions:

Place all ingredients a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Mix until the dough becomes a fairly smooth ball. At this point you can fold the dough onto itself a couple of times if you'd like. Coat the inside of a large bowl with additional olive oil, and place the dough in the bowl, smooth side up. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and place in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 40 minutes. Remove plastic wrap, and use your fist to push down on the center of the dough. Fold the dough in half four or five times. Turn dough over, folded-side down, cover with plastic wrap, and return to the warm spot to rise again. Wait until the dough has doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prep your grill.

Punch down the dough and transfer to a clean surface. Divide the dough in fourths, and knead each half four or five times into a ball. Place one of the dough balls back in the oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Lightly flour a clean surface, place the dough ball on top, pat into a flattened circle, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and let rest at least 5 minutes. Begin to flatten and push the dough evenly out from the center until it measures about 7 to 8 inches in diameter. Leave a 1/2 inch border of unflatted dough around the edges of the circle.

Place the dough on the grill and cook until just starting to brown, then flip. Grill until it looks 3/4 way cooked. Sprinkle with cheese and top with salmon and capers. Grill until the cheese melts.

My thoughts:

I love smoky flavors and this flatbread is full of them. The gouda, the salmon, the smoky crisp dough all make for a savory delight. We had this as full meal, but I think sliced up it would be a wonderful appetizer. Just take care that your coals aren't too hot and that you keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn. Besides that, easy-peasy.

Feta-Caper Potato Salad

Ingredients:
2 lb red potatoes, quartered
1 shallot, minced
1 stalk celery, diced
4 oz crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
1 teaspoon freeze dried chives
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook the potatoes until fork tender. In a small bowl, whisk together the pepper, vinegar and mayo. Stir in the cheese and capers. Place the potatoes, celery and shallot in a medium bowl. Pour the dressing over the potato mixture. Stir to evenly distribute the dressing.

My thoughts:

Oh, feta! I've been eating it every day for over a week now and I haven't had it the same way twice. This potato salad doesn't look light (it is so creamy!) but feta is lower in calories and fat than mayo and once it is stirred into the salad, it breaks down a bit and forms a smooth(ish) dressing that seems decadent despite being relatively light. Feta does have quite a presence in salads so you need strong ingredients to stand up to it. I've been finding that pickle-y ingredients like capers work extremely well, if the ingredients are too mild, they get lost. Plus I love capers so any excuse to use them is a good one.

Lemon-Caper Salmon Salad

Ingredients:
1 lb cooked salmon*
1/3 cup minced onion
1 stalk celery, diced
2 tablespoons capote capers
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
zest from 1 lemon
juice 1/2 lemon
salt
pepper

Directions:
Use a fork to flake the salmon into a medium-sized bowl. Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT the capers and stir until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Stir in the capers.


*I used leftover baked salmon. Note: if your salmon is rather oily, you might not need the mayo.

My thoughts:

I do lot of cooking (as you may have guessed) and am constantly trying to think of ways to make leftovers into something new. Some foods (baked pasta dishes, soups) reheat well. Salmon on the other hand is easy to overcook during the reheating process and eating cold salmon is sometimes less than appealing. Enter the salmon salad. It can easily be insipid but this version has large capers and lots of lemon to add a crisp, almost astringent flavor and crispy onions to provide some texture interest.

Rachel's R�moulade

Ingredients:
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup diced green onion (green parts only)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt
pepper

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a small bowl, mix together with a fork.

My thoughts:

R�moulade is basically fancy pants tartar sauce. It is either aioli or mayonnaise based and often flavored with herbs and almost always with pickle-y ingredients like capers, pickles or cornichons. I like it with salmon cakes, on fish sandwiches and since I am no fan of ketchup, as a dip for french fries.

Dill & Caper Salmon Cakes

14 ounces cooked fresh salmon
1/2 cup panko, divided use
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup diced celery
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 shallot, minced
2 tablespoons nonpareil capers
1 tablespoon minced dill

additional panko for dredging
canola oil

Directions:
Mash the salmon with a potato masher until fairly smooth. Add 1/2 cup panko and all of the remaining ingredients. Mix. Form into 8 eight patties. Pour panko into a shallow bowl. Dredge the patties in the panko. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Heat about a quarter inch of oil in a large skillet. Fry each patty, flipping once, until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towel lined plates.

My thoughts:

What can be simpler or more satisfying than a salmon cake? I've had many a bland croquette though, and set out to make a truly flavorful cake that is worthy of the salmon inside. I know a lot of people use canned salmon in salmon cakes but frankly, I just don't like the flavor or texture of canned salmon. At all. Instead, I like to use leftover (cooked) fresh salmon. It really makes all the difference. I then made a filling that was inspired by the r�moulade that is often served aside salmon cakes; one with plenty of dill, mustard and capers. This made the cakes quite flavorful without overwhelming the flavor of the salmon. I then rolled them in panko for a light crust rather than a heavy breaded one. The result: an elegant and delicious salmon cake that took no more effort than the most basic variety. I can't wait until I have leftover salmon again!

Pommes Frites with Two Dipping Sauces

Ingredients:
2-3 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch wide, 3 inch long pieces
canola oil

frites sauce #1
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons parsley
2 anchovies

frites sauce #2
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
freshly ground black pepper


Directions:
frites sauce #1: pulse all ingredients in a blender until fairly smooth.
frites sauce #2: whisk all ingredients together.

For the frites:
Soak the cut up potato in cold water for 10-15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Meanwhile, bring a heavy, tall sided pan of oil up to 300. Add the fries in a fry basket if possible) and cook for about 6 minutes. They should look pale but when broken in half, they should look nearly cooked inside.



Drain and allow to cool completely. Heat the oil again, this time to 350. Cook fries about 3 minutes or until golden and crisp. Drain and serve immediately.

My thoughts:

Making your own fries at home can seem daunting but if you are willing to sacrifice some cooking oil and time, it is really quite easy. As you all know, I loathe ketchup so I normally eat my fries plain or dipped in some other sort of sauce-cocktail or tartar if eating some kind of seafood etc. So I've always been intrigued by the variety of sauces (normally mayo-based) that Belgian frites shops offer. I came up with two simple sauces that not only are extremely tasty but are made of ingredients I always have on hand. And they keep just fine in the refrigerator for a few days, so you can make them ahead of time if the thought of frying and making sauce simultaneously is too daunting.

Parmesan-Caper Potato Salad

1 1/2 lb red skin potatoes, diced

for the dressing
1/3 cup Parmesan garlic marinade
1/3 cup diced green onion
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
1 1/2 tablespoons nonpareil capers
salt
pepper


Directions:
In a large pot, boil the potatoes until fork-tender. Drain. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle dressing over still slightly warm potatoes, toss to coat.

My thoughts:

This is one of those recipes where it is almost insulting how good it is when it was made with so little effort. The Parmesan melts a bit and infuses each bite with cheesy flavor. Using the Parmesan-garlic marinade eliminates the need to make a complicated dressing and highlights the fresh Parmesan flavor. I love capers and would put them in anything but they are especially tasty in this salad, adding a salty note that goes great with the cheese and onion. Simple, easy and fresh tasting. What more could you ask from a summer salad?

Potato-Asparagus Salad

Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 lb red skin potatoes (baby or quartered standard sized)
1/4 lb asparagus spears, cut up (about 3/4 cup)

for the dressing:
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup diced green onion
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1 1/2 tablespoons nonpareil capers
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar


Directions:
Boil the potatoes. A few minutes before they are fork tender, toss in the asparagus to steam. Drain. Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Toss the potatoes with dressing. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

My thoughts:

I know it seems like it is all salads all the time but really, it is all I've been feeling like eating lately. I think I must be making up for all those years when I only occasionally had cold salads. I am still not sold on the super mayonnaise-y ones and I find hard boiled eggs in potato salad abhorrent (sneaky whites masquerading as potatoes) so I've been sticking to low mayo and a equal or higher mustard/vinegar/citrus ratios without an egg to be found. This salad is definitely on the savory side and the capers add a burst of saltiness that I love.

Smoked Salmon & Caper Dip

Ingredients:
1/4 cup diced red onion
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
5 oz smoked salmon
3 tablespoons capote capers*
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon white pepper


Directions:
Cube the cream cheese and place it in a food processor along with the salmon, capers, pepper and sour cream. Pulse until fairly smooth. Add the onions and pulse once. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving and refrigerate any leftovers.

Yield: about 1 cup

*These are the large sized capers. They have more caper taste and work best in this dip. If you must, substitute the smaller, nonperil capers.

My thoughts:

One of our favorite local places to eat, the Hamilton Tavern has a neat feature on their menu. Every day (week?) there is a different, often seasonal dip that is served with appropriately matched dippers like homemade potato chips, pita or vegetables. One day we went and the dip was smoked salmon. I can never resist smoked salmon anything so we ordered it and it was really good, thick and creamy with bits of salmon, capers and red onion. It was like everything I love on a bagel in a dip!

Of course they aren't in the business of handing out their recipe and I have no way of knowing when it will make its way back on the menu so I decided to create a recipe based on what I had there so I can have it whenever I want. I added more smoked salmon (more from the delicious Just Cured) than I think was in the original and thinned the cream cheese out a bit with some sour cream. It is the creamiest, tastiest dip I've had in ages. Think about your best bagels and lox experience and subtract the bagel. Smoky, salty, savory. Yum. I had it on chips because what better excuse to buy chips is there than making dip? Plus eating on chips reminded me of my childhood tendency to dip Utz chips in straight cream cheese. However, it is also really good or with crackers, celery and sesame pretzels. It is a rather thick dip and can be used as a spread on small rounds of bread

Top-Drawer Chicken Salad

1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 red radishes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 carrot, finely diced
2 tablespoons capers


for the marinade:
1/4 cup tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoon olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 tablespoons diced red onion
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
salt
pepper

for the dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
juice of 1/2 lemon
white pepper


Directions:
Place the chicken and marinade in a nonreactive container. Marinate for at least 1/2 hour. Then grill or saute the chicken until cooked through. Cube and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients and toss to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Serve immediately or for better flavor, refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.



Yield: 4-6 servings

My thoughts:

This is my current favorite version of chicken salad; it was so good, I made it a second time in less than a week. The capers give it a salty, pickle-y kick, the radish and red onion lend some spicy crunch and the dressing is creamy but not cloying or too mayonnaise-y. Chicken salad nirvana.


If you are feeling decadent, this chicken salad is particularly good on sourdough bread topped with a couple slices of bacon and avocado.

Olive-Brie Tapenade

Ingredients:
6 large sun-dried tomato stuffed olives in olive oil, drained
4 oz brie, rind removed
1 tablespoon capers
1 clove garlic

Directions:
Place the olives, garlic and capers in a blender or Vita-Mix. Plus once. Add the brie and pulse until a coarse mixture forms. Serve as a spread on sandwiches, bread or crackers.

Yield: about 1/2 cup

My thoughts:

Traditionally tapenade is made with black olives and well, without cheese but who says it has to stay that way? I had a little wheel of Ile de France brie which while perfectly creamy and tasty, like all brie doesn't exactly have a robust flavor. When paired with the olives however, the brie takes on new life. It not only starts to absorb the flavors of the olives and capers, it provides the perfect creamy counterpoint to the sun-dried tomato/olive textures.

Shrimp, Artichoke and Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients:

3 shallots, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound peeled shrimp
6 oz defrosted frozen artichoke hearts
6 oz sliced crimini mushrooms
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons cream
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon capers
juice of one lemon
zest of one lemon
salt
pepper

to serve: 10 oz hot pasta (I used large ring "calamari" pasta)


Directions:
In a large skillet, heat the oil, then add the shallots, artichoke hearts, red pepper flakes, mushrooms and garlic and saute about 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add shrimp and cook for about 3 minutes or until just starting to pink. Pour in the wine, lemon juice, zest, salt, pepper, and capers. Heat to boiling then reduce heat and cook for an additional 3 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and the shrimp is cooked through. Stir in cream. Toss with pasta and parsley.

My thoughts:

This a great dish for early March when you might be suffering from some cold weather food fatigue and want to make something more spring-like. Of course, if you live in the mid-Atlantic like I do, virtually nothing is in season right now. So you have to make do with ingredients that taste fresh, even if they aren't exactly in season. Shrimp, frozen artichoke hearts and a bit of lemon juice to perk up the flavors make for a light tasting but satisfying meal without having to use tasteless, out of season spring produce.

Creamy Dill-Caper Dip

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup (loose) fresh dill, chopped
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoons capers
1 bunch scallions, white and greens chopped
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt
pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until combined. Alternately, place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times for a smoother texture. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

My thoughts:

What is a cookout or Summer party without some sort of dip? This dip uses in-season dill to its advantage. Low fat/high calcium yogurt replaces sour cream for a dip that is creamy yet not totally naughty. I even used reduced fat cream cheese and (as always) canola mayonnaise to reduce the fat/calorie content even more and no one noticed. It isn't totally fat free or exactly health food but it is super tasty and better for you than some of the other sour cream and cheese heavy dips out there.

Excellent on: salmon, tomato slices, cucumbers, baked potatoes, tortilla chips, celery or instead of tartar sauce.

Perfect for: parties, lunch, snacks, eating directly from the bowl.

Tarragon, Chive and Caper Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:
6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and sliced lengthwise
1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon capers
4 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons chopped fresh or freeze dried chives
white pepper

Directions:
In a small bowl, use a fork and thoroughly mix together the yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, tarragon, chives, pepper, and capers. Spoon an equal amount into each of the egg halves. Sprinkle with extra chives, if desired.

My thoughts:

If you are a long time reader, you know that over the years I've posted more than a few recipes for deviled eggs. The second time I posted a recipe for deviled eggs I was apprehensive (how many variations on one dish can people be interested in?) but it soon became clear that there is a seemingly endless appetite for deviled egg recipes; every day dozens and dozens of people find this site expressly looking for deviled egg recipes and variations. Not to mention the e-mails I get asking for more deviled egg recipes when it has been a while since the last one. Who am I to disappoint?

To me, the beauty of the deviled egg is its ease in preparation, endless variations (check out this cookbook if you don't believe me) and the fact that they are a real crowd pleaser. I can't remember a picnic or cookout I've attended that didn't have deviled eggs and rarely are there any left at the end of the day. For these particular deviled eggs the combination of tarrgaon, chives and capers add an elegant touch to the eggs without adding a lot of extra work. I just cut the herbs directly into the bowl using my kitchen shears and gave it a good mashing.

Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:
10 hardboiled eggs, peeled and sliced length-wise
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoon sour cream
4 oz smoked salmon, minced
white pepper
large capers for garnish


Directions:
In a small bowl, use a fork and thoroughly mix together the yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, sour cream, pepper, and the smoked salmon*. Spoon an equal amount into each of the egg halves. Top with a jumbo sized caper and serve.


*If you want a really smooth texture, pop it all in the food processor or blender and pulse.

My thoughts:

I think I have a minor deviled egg addiction. Over the past few years I have posted no fewer than five deviled egg recipes to Coconut & Lime. This will make six. The funny thing is that Matt isn't terribly fond of deviled eggs so I normally just make enough for me or use a lunch visitor as an excuse to try out a new variety. These I made for my mother who stopped by for lunch today and she quite enjoyed them. When I eat at her house she always makes me guess what the "secret ingredient" in whatever she made is (hint: it is always Old Bay) so I didn't tell her what kind of deviled eggs they were but she got it in one. The lox gives the egg a slightly salty smoky flavor that works really well with the creamy egg yolks. Just take care to really mince it so you are not left with any big, chewy chunks.

Winterized BLT Chicken Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
4 strips thick cut bacon
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1 lb pasta (I used gemelli)
2 cooked, boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
3/4 cup frozen spinach
1/2 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes*
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar


Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Boil the noodles until al dente, adding the frozen spinach in at the last minute or so. Drain. Meanwhile, in a hot pan, fry the bacon until crispy. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and cut into bite-sized pieces. Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to evenly distribute the mayonnaise, balsamic vinegar. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.

*I used dry (i.e. not oil packed) sun-dried tomatoes so I just tossed them in with the pasta during the last minute or so of cooking, just to plump them up a bit. If you are using oil packed tomatoes, blot them before use.

Yield: approximately 6-8 main course servings.

Note: The whole salad can be prepared the day before serving with great success.

My thoughts:

Winterizing isn't just for summer homes and vehicles anymore. I had my mother and grandfather over for lunch today and I wasn't sure of what to make until the last minute. I wanted to make something that would be substantial enough to stand alone (no side dishes!) and that hopefully result some leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. Last night my husband sauteed a chicken breast (with some shallots and a basic marinade) for his lunch today so I had him to saute me some extra in case I wanted to use it in something today. This morning I was looking through some recipes and found one for BLT chicken salad sandwiches. The recipe sounded good if a bit mayo-heavy. The problem was that we only had 4 slices of bread in the house, I wouldn't eat a fresh tomato in December if you paid me and I don't buy lettuce in the winter. So that was out. But I liked the concept so I started from scratch and made a winterized pasta salad using some of the flavors of a good BLT but using high quality frozen and shelf stable ingredients instead of a bunch of out of season vegetables. Which isn't to say the pasta isn't fresh tasting, the flavors are clear and bright, only that you don't have to wait until Summer for a good pasta salad.

Hot or Cold Potato Salad with Green and Wax Beans

Ingredients:
2 lb thin skinned potatoes, diced
3/4 lb mixed green and wax beans
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon capers
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt
pepper

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes. Cook until almost tender, then add the beans. Cook for about 2 additional minutes, drain. Meanwhile, whisk together the vinegar, oil, salt, capers, pepper, shallot, garlic and mustard. Toss with the hot potatoes, beans and parsley or wait until the potatoes and beans cool, then toss.

Yield: about 4-6 servings

My thoughts:

I made this on a whim to use up some farmers market buys and it is so good! I had some both hot and cold and I can't decide what I like better. It is sort of pickley-tart which I much prefer to some the almost sweet ways people make potato salad. I bet it would be good made with roasted potatoes instead of the boiled, but it's too hot to test that idea out.