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Make it better: That's right. It's time to move beyond the potato salad recipe you've been cranking out for a dozen (or more) years. It's time to build a better potato salad. (Bill Hogan/Chicago Tribune) |
Potato salad belongs to summer. It's been a sturdy supporting player for burgers and hot dogs, steaks and seafood forever.
It deserves to have a starring role.
That's right. It's time to move beyond the potato salad recipe you've been cranking out for a dozen (or more) years. It's time to build a better potato salad.
Where to begin? Cookbooks have tons of ideas. So does Meredith Myers. She's with the U.S. Potato Board, an industry-supported group based in Colorado.
Her first thought? Who will be eating this salad — adventurous foodies or cranky relatives who'll complain until Christmas if you tweak granny's recipe?
"Is it a backyard barbecue or are you taking it to big group? Are you trying to please a bunch of kids and adults? What kind of palates are you trying to please," she says.
"The glory of potato salad is that you can do just about anything with it."
The key: Think about the basic elements and preparation techniques, then use them to build a better potato salad.
Rethink the spuds
Reds and russets have been the go-to spud for years, but markets now boast petites, fingerlings, yellows, purples, blues.
"Different varieties of potatoes have different cooking and taste properties. A russet cooks up with a starchier texture," says Myers, "if you boil it too long it will fall apart.
"Reds or yellows and a lot of fingerlings have a firmer, waxier texture that holds its shape a little better after it's been boiled," she adds. "One's not better than another (but) if you're boiling a potato for a salad and you want it to maintain it's firm texture, then you want a waxier potato."
Blues and purples have "a medium starch level — not as starchy as a russet and not as waxy as a red. They're moist, have a firm flesh, a kind of earthy flavor."
To skin or not to skin: "I say skin. It adds texture, flavor and color."
Mix 'em or match 'em: "Go ahead and use different varieties of potatoes in the same potato salad," says Myers, "but you don't want to cook them in the same pan. Russets will cook differently than potatoes with less starch."
Cook them up
Start by cutting potatoes into roughly equal-size pieces before cooking; this helps them finish cooking at the same time.
On the stove top: "Put cut-up russets in a pot of cold water, turn heat to medium high or high and cook quickly (so keep them on a boil) until fork tender. With waxier potatoes, put them in cold water, turn heat to medium high, bring them to a boil a little slower and cook to fork tender."
On the grill: Myers: "For a wonderful smoky flavor," put potato halves in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave, covered, until just tender. Cool slightly; coat lightly with olive oil. Grill 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally.
It deserves to have a starring role.
That's right. It's time to move beyond the potato salad recipe you've been cranking out for a dozen (or more) years. It's time to build a better potato salad.
Where to begin? Cookbooks have tons of ideas. So does Meredith Myers. She's with the U.S. Potato Board, an industry-supported group based in Colorado.
Her first thought? Who will be eating this salad — adventurous foodies or cranky relatives who'll complain until Christmas if you tweak granny's recipe?
"Is it a backyard barbecue or are you taking it to big group? Are you trying to please a bunch of kids and adults? What kind of palates are you trying to please," she says.
"The glory of potato salad is that you can do just about anything with it."
The key: Think about the basic elements and preparation techniques, then use them to build a better potato salad.
Rethink the spuds
Reds and russets have been the go-to spud for years, but markets now boast petites, fingerlings, yellows, purples, blues.
"Different varieties of potatoes have different cooking and taste properties. A russet cooks up with a starchier texture," says Myers, "if you boil it too long it will fall apart.
"Reds or yellows and a lot of fingerlings have a firmer, waxier texture that holds its shape a little better after it's been boiled," she adds. "One's not better than another (but) if you're boiling a potato for a salad and you want it to maintain it's firm texture, then you want a waxier potato."
Blues and purples have "a medium starch level — not as starchy as a russet and not as waxy as a red. They're moist, have a firm flesh, a kind of earthy flavor."
To skin or not to skin: "I say skin. It adds texture, flavor and color."
Mix 'em or match 'em: "Go ahead and use different varieties of potatoes in the same potato salad," says Myers, "but you don't want to cook them in the same pan. Russets will cook differently than potatoes with less starch."
Cook them up
Start by cutting potatoes into roughly equal-size pieces before cooking; this helps them finish cooking at the same time.
On the stove top: "Put cut-up russets in a pot of cold water, turn heat to medium high or high and cook quickly (so keep them on a boil) until fork tender. With waxier potatoes, put them in cold water, turn heat to medium high, bring them to a boil a little slower and cook to fork tender."
On the grill: Myers: "For a wonderful smoky flavor," put potato halves in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave, covered, until just tender. Cool slightly; coat lightly with olive oil. Grill 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally.
