Ina Garten's Potato Salad

I apologize for the lack of posts. The repose certainly isn't for lack of cooking, but more from a lack of internet access. We have finally relocated into our new house, where I proceeded to break in the kitchen with an abundance to feed the wonderful friends helping us move.

The recipe is the first of several from our housewarming that you will see in the coming days.

photo forthcoming...

adapted from Ina Garten's recipe at Foodnetwork.com

serves 6-8

The Ingredients:
3 lbs small white potatoes
kosher salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp whole grain mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion

The Directions:
Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt (salt omitted) in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then place the colander with the potatoes over the empty pot and cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel. Allow the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, dill, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in quarters or in half, depending on their size. Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, pour enough dressing over them to moisten. Add the celery and red onions, 2 teaspoons of salt (salt omitted) and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature

My Modifications:
For the love of God, if you care about your blood pressure, do NOT add as much salt as this woman does! After a brief read through of the recipe I noted about 1 Tbsp of salt stirred into the dressing, and this does not include the 2 Tbsp she added to her cooking water. Instead, withhold the salt shaker to the end and season to taste. I think I used a whopping 1/2 tsp to help enhance the other flavors.

The potatoes of choice were baby reds for their pretty, pretty skins. And I only used one mustard...the Dijon, using 3 Tbsp instead of the 2 listed. After tasting the salad, I could have gotten away with the whole grain mustard as well. With only 3 Tbsp of Dijon the mustard flavor was present, but incredibly subtle. The mustard-phobes didn't even notice it.

The Review:
Everyone who tried the potato salad loved. The cooking method of boiling and steaming yielded tender and silken bites firm enough to hold up to the dressing. Unlike many a deli counter salad this was not swimming in dressing and no one flavor over powered the rest. The dill was pure summer. Indeed, this classic potato salad could be July's poster child. If you have a fondness for sides, like I do anyway....