Tuesday, June 14, 2011

The Daring Cooks Make Potato Salad. Really.

I couldn't believe it when I read the challenge for this month: potato salad, and healthy too! I don't have a problem with healthy, and actually get very excited about produce (in the words of a friend), but I don't eat potatoes more than a few times a year, and that includes fries. However, I have a lot of experience with them, as it seemed like we had them every night for dinner when I was a child. I pushed them around a lot, not caring for the texture. Now, I eat potatoes to be polite, such as when I am a dinner guest. The taste is fine, but it's that slightly grainy texture that gets me every time. Anyway, I'm sure if you have read this far that you actually like potatoes, so let's get past my potato inhibitions, shall we?

I didn't want to miss this month's challenge, as I had missed last month's (too greasy/meaty). So, I put my thinking cap on and tried to figure out when I did like potatoes and how I could incorporate those flavours into a potato salad. I like spicy curries with potato, as well as thinly sliced potatoes on pizza, and poutine, but that was the end of my list. I didn't see how I could put gravy and cheese curds on cold potatoes and make it work, so the poutine salad was out. Potato salad on a crust? Nope. Spicy? Yes, please. Rather than curry, I went with some Mexican ingredients to make a chipotle potato salad. It was good, but very spicy, as I doubled the chipotles from what you can see in the recipe below. As for healthy, I used half buttermilk and half mayonnaise to make a creamy dressing. Oh, and the most exciting part for me was that I liked it! I actually took the leftovers for lunch 2 days in a row. This is pretty earth-shattering, people. I think it was because I used tiny new potatoes and they were creamy, not grainy at all. So, Spud, you're okay. See you at Thanksgiving. Now to love eggplant...

Salad
1 pound tiny new potatoes
12 small radishes, sliced
2 small or one large poblano peppers, roasted, peeled seeded and diced
½ red onion, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

  1. Place potatoes in a pot of cold water with a generous amount of salt. Bring to the boil and cook for about 10 minutes, until tender. Drain and cool. Halve potatoes and place in a large bowl.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and about ½ cup of dressing and toss well. Serve.
Chipotle Ranch Dressing
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup mayonnaise
1 chipotle chile in adobo and a teaspoon of the sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 small clove garlic, mashed with a pinch of salt
¼ chopped cilantro
  1. Combine everything but cilantro in a blender and puree until smooth. Add cilantro. Will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.
Blog-checking lines:Jami Sorrento was our June Daring Cooks hostess and she chose to challenge us to celebrate the humble spud by making a delicious and healthy potato salad. The Daring Cooks Potato Salad Challenge was sponsored by the nice people at the United States Potato Board, who awarded prizes to the top 3 most creative and healthy potato salads. A medium-size (5.3 ounce) potato has 110 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium and includes nearly half your daily value of vitamin C and has more potassium than a banana!

23 comments:

Melanie said...

Doh! Why didn't I think of radishes? They seem like a completely natural pair for a potato salad, but one that had never occurred to me! Congrats on making a tasty potato salad. I'm now realizing why I prefer the tiny spuds too... the creamy texture is perfect!

Suz said...

I'm funny about potatoes too. I hated them when I was little and am still a bit fussy. Luckily, as you say, new potatoes are much softer and creamier.

Your salad looks gorgeous. Love the spiciness and the green cilantro running though. The poutine idea would have been very interesting too!

Valerie Gamine said...

Welcome to the potato lovers club! I'm sure they won't replace rhubarb, but hopefully they have a permanent spot in your heart (at least the waxy ones.) :D

This salad looks phenomenal! It was a great idea to mix the mayonnaise with buttermilk...I'll have to try that sometime soon, my summer clothes are practically begging me to go easy on the creamy stuff. Great work as usual!!

Monkeyshines in the Kitchen said...

Mary, your chipotle potato salad sounds wonderful! I'd definitely have to follow your footsteps and add double the chile, as we love that smoky spiciness. I am also glad that potatoes have redeemed themselves finally!

chef_d said...

I love spicy dressings! And your potato salad looks delicious. Especially with the coriander on top (I'm a coriander lover) Great job on this challenge!

Renata said...

I actually enjoy potatoes specially because they are so versatile. I'm happy to know that in the end your potato salad worked so well. It does look delicious!
Thanks for visiting my humble potato salad :) and thanks for the good wishes, I'll be back to Korea on the second half of July. I'll try to stay tuned to the DK and not miss a challenge!

Anonymous said...

Your chipotle ranch dressing sounds amazingly tasty. Can't wait to try it!

Unknown said...

Fantastic!!

Margie said...

That chipotle ranch dressing sounds amazing! Glad you found a potato dish you like. But now I'm wondering about a poutine inspired potato salad! :)

Lisa said...

Mary, I love the buttermilk-ranch dressing and your potato sald looks gorgeous! I'm so glad you enjoyed it since you're not much of a potato buff. I think I might be a potato sl*t lol

Cooking Rookie said...

Lovely recipe! I love the texture combination of soft potatoes and cruncy radishes. And I cilantro goes so well with potatoes in a creamy dressing :-)

FabFrugalFood said...

I'm with you - potatoes on Thanksgiving and Fourth of July!

Andy said...

Great job!! And nice flavour choice.

Evelyne CulturEatz said...

I love your childhood story about potatoes. I was abused by too many. Now I can do with once in a while as well. But I do love a good potato salad and I love your Mexican twist here. Any leftovers still for lunch today?

Anonymous said...

I like potatoes in curry too but I can't eat hot peppers. My husband, who loves spicy food, would love your salad and the chipotle ranch dressing sounds so tasty!

Morgan said...

Ooooo chipotle ranch dressing! Sounds good!!

Marla said...

Mary, that dressing sounds amazing! Cookin' Canuck and I would love if you linked up this recipe & any 2 other side dishes in this weeks Get Grillin' event posted on both of our blogs.

Rosemary & Garlic said...

I cannot believe that you don't like potatoes! How can that be. Looks delicious.

Mr. P said...

How did you make those amazing cookies with your blog name on? WANT!

A Canadian Foodie said...

Hilarious! Glad it took this challenge for you to like potatoes again!! And what a great challenge for this time of year as most of us have our "house recipe". Except you. Cannot believe you have gone your entire life not liking potatoes. There are so many new varieties out there now - but, why would you try them when you don't miss them? Anyway, great recipe... and now onto eggplant, eh? You obviously have a texture issue. I am almost positive my version of Eggplant Salad (baba ganouche) would convert you.
:)
Valerie
(Still in a terrible blogger's slump forcing my way out of it - and am so inspired by you, always!)

Creating Nirvana said...

Haha. You had the same reaction I did when I logged on the Daring Cooks. Potato salad? Really? I thought it was a fun change.

Sarah said...

I'm glad you conquered your squeamishness about potatoes AND that you enjoyed your result. I might end up with quite a few poblanos this summer so I will be keeping your recipe in mind.

shelley c. said...

I'm so glad you found a way to make the potato work for you, because it would have been a shame for us not to see this delicious looking recipe!! Really great job!