Sunday, August 9, 2009

OLD-FASHIONED POTATO SALAD AND CONFETTI COLE SLAW



Summertime seems made for barbecues and cold salads are a traditional accompaniment to hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, and pulled pork. I have to confess upfront that I'm not a huge fan of these mayonnaise-laden salads. I generally can't eat them until they've chilled overnight and the dressing has been soaked up by the potatoes or pasta or vegetables. That isn't to say I don't love mom's recipe for potato and macaroni salad; I'm just not a lover of mayonnaise.
Since Larry loves coleslaw and macaroni and potato salad and can't imagine having a hot dog with at least one--and preferably ALL of the above--I do make these side dishes a few times in the summer. I decided to try someone else's recipe for potato salad and a new recipe for coleslaw this time. Without apologies, I have to say mom's potato salad recipe is far better than this one, which is a bit tangier. That is not to say that it wasn't tasty--just different. The coleslaw was less sweet than what you'll get commercially prepared. That I liked better. If you're looking for a new spin on an old dish, give these a try.
Old-fashioned Potato Salad- Makes 6 cups
2 lbs red potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
2 T cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
scant 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tbs Dijon mustard
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped red onion
In a large pot, cover the potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes. Drain, then toss with the vinegar, salt, and pepper and bring to room temperature.
In a large bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients. Add the potatoes, tossing gently to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Confetti Coleslaw-Makes 8 cups
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbs white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 cups shredded green cabbage
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 each red and yellow pepper, shredded
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions



In a large measuring cup, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add the shredded vegetables to a large bowl. Pour on the dressing, tossing to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

4 comments:

  1. I've never been a coleslaw fan, but potato salad... YUM! Yours sounds delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love both of the recipes. You won me over with the red potatoes, dijon and purple onion in the potato salad. Red potatoes are the best. I'm wondering if I could replace the sour cream with the greek yogurt. Do you think the yogurt would work in that recipe? It would go great with the BBQ chicken I am planning to make.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kim, my guess is the Greek yogurt would make it even tangier. Larry was not a fan of this potato salad. He is a mayo man! I thought the red onion and Dijon mustard gave it a nice bite. As I mentioned, we both prefer mom's recipe; guess we're not into "tang."

    ReplyDelete
  4. Can't have a summer meal without one of these delicious salads. AND, I agree, Mom's dishes ALWAYS taste better. (I hope my kids are listening). :)

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting The Food of Love. I know it takes time to make a comment, but please know that they are very much appreciated.