SUMMER POTATO SALAD

Well, I did get a bit carried away discussing the health benefits of potatoes.  On to the fun part - cooking and eating.  In the winter, I rely on potatoes as part of a warm and comforting meal - in stews, mashed, roasted, baked, boiled, sauteed, braised.  In the summer, I'm looking for lighter fare.  My husband Roland has begun to dig our potatoes out - we have beautiful, tiny new potatoes and fingerlings.  I boil them until just done, then use them in a warm potato salad.  No heavy mayonnaise here - just a light vinagreitte and lots of fresh herbs.  My family can't get enough of this dish. If you don't grow potatoes, this dish is best with waxy potatoes - new potatoes or fingerlings.  They'll be the small ones in the store or farmer's market (not the standard large russetts or Idaho).  New potatoes are small and round; fingerlings are long and skinny (like fingers). The may have white, pink or even purple skins. The purple ones are amazing - purple all the way through! Buy organic if possible, and look for firm smooth potatoes with no sprouts or green spots.

The preparation is simple.  Wash the potatoes just before cooking.  Boil a large pot of water.  Place the potatoes in and keep at a moderate boil.  In the meantime, chop up a bunch of fresh herbs (more ideas in a minute).  Place them in the bottom of a large bowl.  Add some salt and pepper.  If you like, add some very thinly sliced red onion or spring onions.  Add some vinegar (I use balsamic, but sherry, wine or apple cider would also be nice).  When the potatoes are done, drain them well. Add them to the bowl and toss them into the vinegar mix.  Then take a very nice olive oil and add enough to coat the potatoes well.  Transfer to a serving dish.  Serve warm or at room temperature. 

The warm potatoes absorb the dressing and are truly delicious.  I vary the herbs to give very different taste experiences.  One night I did them with lots and lots of fresh mint (homage to my years in Britain, where potatoes and mint are always paired).  Another night I used a mix of fresh tarragon and parsley and a little bit of thyme.  Next time, I think I'll try them with caraway seeds and chives (a German tribute).  And a classic salad with spring onions and lots of Italian parsley is a star for summer.

A great addition to the salad is fresh peas, cooked separately until just tender, drained and rinsed with cold water, and then added at the end.  I used fresh peas from my garden, but frozen peas or petit pois will also work. For a more complicated salad, add some blanched string beans, or some cherry tomatoes sliced in half, or some artichoke hearts, or a little bit of fresh garlic, or some lightly cooked fava beans.

By the way - for more on growing vegetables, check out Roland's blog at http://organicbountea.blogspot.com/.  He grows, I weed and cook!

Rejoice in the health benefits - and the taste benefits - with a summer potato salad!