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.

Grilled German-style Potato Salad

Ingredients:
2 pounds Yukon Gold or red skin potatoes, quartered and parboiled
1 white onion, cut into wedges
3 strips thick cut bacon

for the dressing:
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
1 bunch green onion, chopped (about 1/4-1/3 cup)
1/4 teaspoon sugar (optional)
salt
freshly ground pepper


Directions:
Place the dressing in a jar or salad dressing container. Shake until well mixed. Set aside. Prep grill according to manufacturers' directions. Oil a grilling pan with canola oil. Place the potatoes, onion wedges and bacon on the grilling pan.

Cover and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, turning occasionally. Place the potatoes and onion in a bowl. Crumble the bacon on top. Toss. Drizzle with dressing and toss again.

My thoughts:

German potato salad is traditionally served hot and it is great, but when it is summer in Baltimore and you live in a 1930s house with no air conditioning, you really don't want to be standing over the stove more than you have to. I had the idea to grill it instead and I really think I like it better. The smoky, grilled flavor of the potatoes and onions really ties in with the bacon and the potato gets sort of crisp around the edges. Yum! I hate it when potatoes in salads are mushy. I just make sure I boiled the potatoes until they were almost fork tender. You don't want a potato falling apart on the grill! Using quartered potatoes (or small wedges) is important too, slices are difficult to turn. I used a grated grilling pan that only took up part of the grill so we were able to make our whole meal at once which was awesome. The grill pan really is needed for this recipe, the spaces in the grill rack are too large to cook bacon or thin slices of onion on. Luckily they aren't terribly expensive and we use it all the time for vegetables and more delicate grillables.

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?

Radish Pesto Potato Salad

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb red skin potatoes, diced
1 bunch radishes, greens attached
1 shallot
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup toasted pinenuts
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper

Directions:
Halve and slice the radishes. Place the greens, nuts, shallot, garlic, oil, cheese, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth. Boil the potatoes in salted water until fork-tender. Drain the potatoes. Toss the radishes and potatoes together. Drizzle with pesto, toss to evenly distribute.

My thoughts:

Radish leaves are perfectly edible. They have the peppery bite that you would expect but they are mild enough to use in a salad. Since radishes are in season right now, it is easy to find radishes with their leaves still attached. Look for leaves that are still crisp with no bruising. Anyway, they are so tasty, I felt bad about tossing them out but I didn't have any other salad ingredients (besides whole radishes, obviously) so I decided to make a pesto. Since we had just had pasta, I tossed with some potatoes instead. The result? A creamy potato salad with no mayo but lots of fresh flavor.

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.

Grilled Potato Salad with Broccolini

10 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 to 2 lb white potatoes, sliced
1 large onion, cut into thick slices
1 bunch broccolini*, roughly cut

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon rosemary
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced
juice and zest of 1 lemon
salt
pepper


Directions:


Preheat grill. Brush the mushrooms, onion slices, broccolini and potatoes with olive oil. Place on a grill pan. Grill until fork tender, flipping occasionally to evenly brown.



Meanwhile, whisk together dressing ingredients. When the potatoes, mushrooms and onions are cooked through, toss them with the dressing. Serve immediately.

*Sometimes referred to as "baby broccoli", it is actually a broccoli and kai-lan (Chinese broccoli) hybrid.

My thoughts:

This is the first of what I think will be a bi-weekly grill recipe here on Coconut & Lime. Normally I will be posting them on Fridays from now until Labor Day but since it is Memorial Day, I thought I'd make an exception and post today. This is a super simple noncreamy potato salad with a robust vinegar based dressing that completely satisfies any need for a side dish without having to make anything indoors while monitoring the grill outside. The potatoes take on a smoky note that is flavorful but not overpowering and the onions just caramelize.

Spring Vegetable Potato Salad

Ingredients:
2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cubed and cooked
4 radishes, cubed
1 carrot, cubed
1 stalk celery, cubed
1/4 red onion, chopped

for the dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons mustard
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried chervil
1 teaspoon freeze dried chives
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon horseradish
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour over the vegetables, carefully stir to combine. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

My thoughts:

This potato salad makes the most of what spring has to offer; new fresh radishes, carrots and celery and tiny potatoes. I hate making side dishes so this potato salad is perfect for me, it packs in a huge amount of vegetables with minimal effort. Not to mention that the dressing is quite zippy thanks to the horseradish and mustard making it no ordinary potato salad. A potato salad for potato salad haters. Terribly tasty, incredibly easy.

Yogurt & Herb Two Potato Salad

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb red skin potatoes, cubed
1 1/2 lb purple potatoes, cubed
2 stalks celery, diced
1 bunch scallions, greens and white parts, diced

for the dressing:
150 g (5.3 oz) Greek yogurt
3 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup chives, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1/4 cup chopped tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed


Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes and cook until fork tender. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, gently stir together all of the dressing ingredients. Pour over slight warm potatoes and the celery and stir to evenly distribute. Serve chilled or at room temperature.


*I used the wonderful Oikos organic Greek yogurt. It is rich, creamy and fat free.

My thoughts:

This is a some what healthier version of the typical creamy potato salad; it makes the most of fat free Greek yogurt and Maille Dijon mustard and lots of green. That said, it is full of flavor from the fresh herbs and my favorite mustard. I love using a mix of red-skinned and purple potatoes in a salad, somehow it seems more festive than using just the red-skinned ones.

Tarragon Potato Salad

Ingredients:
2 lb red skin potatoes, cut into manageable chunks
1 stalk celery, including greens, chopped
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

for the dressing:
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoon tarragon
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
white pepper
salt


Directions:
Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the potatoes and cook until fork-tender. Allow to cool, then toss with parsley, onion and celery. Pour the dressing over the potatoes, gently stir to evenly distribute.

My thoughts:

Simple is best but some times you just need a twist to liven up a classic like potato salad. Tarragon is an herb I don't see much mention of and it is a shame. I love it, even enjoying a bright green Russian tarragon flavored soda called TapxyH which is a little tricky to find. Tarragon lends a fresh, lively flavor to potato salad without adding any extra time or effort to the usual prep-perfect for those hot days when one barely wants to eat, much less cook.

You Can't Stop The Beet Potato Salad

Ingredients:
2 lb potato, cubed
1 lb beets
2 cups chopped beet greens
1 onion, diced
2 slices thick cut bacon


dressing:
2 tablespoons grainy deli mustard
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 shallot, grated
salt
pepper
pinch sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Roast the beets until fork tender, about 50 minutes. Rub the skin off with a paper towel and then cube. Meanwhile, whisk together all of the ingredients of the dressing together, set aside. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until tender but not crumbly. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towel lined plates and crumble. Drain all but 1 teaspoon of bacon drippings out of the pan and saute the onion until just softened. Drain the potatoes and immediately toss with beets, onions, bacon and beet greens. Add the dressing and toss to evenly distribute. Serve hot or cold.

Quick note: Beets are in season this time of year, so it should be easy to find beets with healthy leaves still attached. Avoid beets with wilted or bruised leaves.

My thoughts:

It's been unseasonably cold and rainy all month here in Baltimore, so I have been doing more dreaming of picnics than actually having them. As soon as the weather warms up a bit, this salad is going back on the menu.

This salad takes its inspiration from the classic German potato salad but elevates it to a whole new level with the addition of beets and greens. It just might be a little healthier too; less frying, more vegetables. Now the beets do pretty much color everything with their juices which might be off-putting to some but the flavor isn't overwhelmingly beet-y; the potatoes and greens provide the needed balance. The dressing is wonderfully tart yet slightly sweet and really brings out the roasted beet flavor and the smokiness of the bacon.

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.

Warm Potato Salad with Bacon and Spinach

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lb Russet potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices
4 strips of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 onion, sliced
2 cups fresh baby spinach
4 tablespoons cider vinegar, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
Begin by making the dressing: in a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, mustard, 2 tablespoons vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper, set aside. In a large pot, bring potatoes and enough water to cover them to a boil. Continue to boil and cook the potatoes until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add spinach to last minute of boiling. Meanwhile, brown bacon in a large pan. Remove bacon and drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of bacon fat. Return the fat to the pan and add the onion. Saute for about 8-10 minutes or until the onion is soft but not quite brown. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar to the onions, stir and cook about 30 seconds. Drain potato and spinach when the potato is tender. Pour the potato/spinach into the large bowl with the dressing and toss to coat. Pour the onion mixture over the potatoes and gently fold in. Serve warm.

My thoughts:

I have seen similar potato salads referred to as "German Potato Salad" but they never seem to call for anything green. I like to add spinach to potato salads because one, it is tasty and two, I can trick myself into thinking I'm eating a serving of vegetables. Actually even though this recipe calls for bacon, it is not quite as unhealthy as it could be as long as you use lean bacon and only one tablespoon of the fat. Divided among 8 or so servings that's not much at all. The addition of lime to the dressing also helps keep it light and fresh tasting.

Deviled Potato Salad

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs peeled, cooked and diced Yukon gold potatoes

5 sprigs chives, minced

1 carrot, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

3 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt

2 tablespoons good quality Dijon mustard
salt

pepper

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a large bowl along with the yogurt and the mustard. Using a large spoon, toss to coat. Add carrot and celery, toss again. Sprinkle with chives and salt and pepper to taste. Using the same spoon, gently fold the potato salad over to incorporate the chives.

My thoughts:

Suddenly Baltimore has turned into a pit of humidity and heat making it the perfect time to make and serve a cold side dish. This is a very low fat and healthier verison of a traditional deviled potato salad. I added the celery and the carrots to give it a nice crunch and since I am not a egg-in-potato-salad type person, it keeps the salad from being too bland. Dijon mustard perks it up as well. Did you know that you have to use mustard and spices to technically call something "deviled"? Just some trivia for you!

Potato Salad with Bacon and Cheddar

Ingredients:
2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup green onion, sliced (red onion is good too)
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled*

Directions:

In large saucepan, cover potatoes with water; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain and cool slightly, about 2-3 minutes. In large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add potatoes and toss to coat. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Chill 1 hour before serving.

*the easiest way to "crumble" bacon is to use kitchen shears to cut the bacon into 1 inch chunks before you fry it.

My thoughts:

I am a firm believer that everything tastes better with bacon. This potato salad is no exception. While it is not something you'd want to eat every day (although, in the past I have subbed plain yogurt for the mayo which might make it a smidge healthier) it is good for picnics and potlucks. I have never been to an event where I've brought this and it wasn't the first thing finished on the table.

Spinach Potato Salad

Spinach Potato Salad

Ingredients:
3 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
8 oz sour cream
2 handfuls fresh baby spinach
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard (Maille is best)
salt
pepper

Directions:

In a large pot bring 1 quart of salted water to boil. Add potatoes, continue to boil until potatoes are tender. Drain. Return to pot or dump the potatoes into a large bowl. Immediately add spinach and fold in.* Add mustard and sour cream and mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Excellent warm or chilled.



*If you prefer chilled potato salad, chill the potatoes in the fridge at this step, 1/2- 1 hour, then proceed as directed.