# Potato Salad



## anneke (Jan 5, 2001)

I'm off to a beach BBQ this weekend and promised to deliver potato salad for 25. Since refrigeration may not be optimal, I'm looking for a mayonaise-free recipe. I just purchased tons of the baby white and red potatoes (was hoping for fingerling but there's not available anywhere). I also have a fair amount of tarragon which I thought would be nice. Any suggestions? What are your favourite recipes?


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## coolj (Dec 12, 2000)

I've got a recipe that uses sour cream. I'll post it for you later, as I'm just runing out ot do some errands.


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

I thought it was the eggs in potato salad that caused it to go bad, not the mayonnaise. Yes, mayo does contain eggs, but it also has acid to kill bacteria. I'm willing to be corrected on this score, but I'm fairly sure the sour cream would be even more risky.

Might I suggest a French style potato salad, dressed with a vinaigrette style dressing? That's sure to safer! Try here: http://www.google.com/search?q=French+potato+salad

Good luck!


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

From Bocuse's Cuisine de France


Cook 1 kilo potatoes. Once done, peel and slice them and pour 1 dl of white wine.

Prepare the vinaigrette with :

2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespooon white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons peanut oil
3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped.
salt and pepper to taste

Pour on the still warm potatoes.

I often make this recipe but I never put white wine. Even without it, it's always very good.


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## coolj (Dec 12, 2000)

I totally forgot about the dairy products in the heat, I was thinking, maybe someone was allergic to mayonaise or something, but anyway here's the recipe.
Italian Potato Salad
this one only makes six portions though.

2 baking potatoes
water
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp crumbled basil
3/4 tsp crumbled thyme
1/8 tsp cayenne
4 fresh california plums
1/4 lb provolone, coarsley grated

1) pare and julienne the potatoes. put in a sauce pan, add the water to almost cover, add the salt, cover and bring to a boil. cook 4 - 5 minutes or just until tender. drain and cool.

2) combine sour cream, lemon juice, basil, thyme and cayenne

3) slice plums and combine with potatoes and provolone. toss gently with sour cream dressing. season to taste with salt. refrigerate until ready to serve.


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## pastachef (Nov 19, 1999)

Ranch dressing, (not the fat free kind) and crumbled bacon is good on potato salad too. At work I have a recipe for Greek potato salad that uses red wine vinegar and feta cheese with red potatoes.


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

Mmmmmmm CoolJ,

Who would have thought to add plums. Sounds great!


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## anneke (Jan 5, 2001)

Thanks for all your ideas. Mezz, I think you might be right about the egg. I can't remember the potato-salad horror stories: was it salmonella poisoning or something else? Maybe I should stick to a simple french dressing afterall. Hope it'll work with the tarragon.


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## pastachef (Nov 19, 1999)

Yes, CoolJ, that recipe sounds wonderful as well as different. I'm going to try it out. The addition of plums is very unusual. Do you mean the fruit or plum tomatoes?


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## linda smith (Mar 30, 2001)

Anneke:

I catered an anniversary party for a friend of mine a year ago. She had 60 guests who were eating outdoors on a hot august afternoon. I solved the potatoe salad problem by making a dressing with lots roasted garlic and a very good olive oil and thyme. The dressing was lovely and creamy and quite tasty (if I do say so myself). 

Have fun at the beach!
Linda


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

I boil my potatoes in crab boil or in an herb water...throw your tarragon stems in the boiling water with salt and whole pepper corns. 
Remoulade with creole or coasre mustard tarragon, celery, green onions, parsley, boiled garlic....boil with taters, add olive oil and yummmmm.


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## coolj (Dec 12, 2000)

Pastachef, the recipe uses the fruit, not plum tomatoes. by the way, would you mind emailing me a copy of your recipe for greek potato salad ?.


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## nancya (Apr 30, 2001)

Pastachef: Why not post the Greek potato salad recipe? It sounds really good.


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## anneke (Jan 5, 2001)

Roasted garlic... great idea!


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## pastachef (Nov 19, 1999)

I would love to post the recipe for Greek potato salad but it's at work. We will be reopening around August 15th though, so I'll find it and post it. The nicest thing about it, (I thought) was that it was arranged on a platter, heaped in the middle. Other vegetables were arranged around it. It was made with red potatoes, red onions, black olives, feta cheese, and the dressing was red wine vinegar, olive oil, and I don't remember the herbs. Will post later on that.

So you don't have to wait, I found a Greek potato salad on a site that is very similar to the one I like.

8 servings

1 lb. potatoes, uniform in size - cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 cup sun dried tomato halves, slivered

I cup seedless cucumber

1/2 cup sliced red onion

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup Greek olives

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano 
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mound potato salad on a platter
Arrange onions, cheese and olives around the mound.

I like to surround the mound with leaf lettuce first for color.

[ July 29, 2001: Message edited by: Pastachef ]


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

YOU ARE CORRECT ON ALL COUNTS, MAYO IS GOOD AND BECAUSE OF ACID BASE STOPS GROWTH OF BACTERIA. ALTHOUGH SOUR CREAM IS SLIGHTLY ACID IT IS OF A DAIRY BASE AND COULD PROMOTE SALMONELLA AND MOLD. CHEFED


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Thank you for the affirmation, ChefEd. But please don't yell at me...


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Mayo stays safe longer because of the acid, but it does go bad at room temp in a couple of hours. And when it goes bad, it goes real bad.

Ed needs to fix the caps key on his keyboard quick.

Phil


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## bigwheel (May 26, 2006)

Think your dead on correctomundo on the Mayo not being the tummy ache culprit in tater salad. Rumor is aint no bug in his/her right mind which could live in the stuff (storebought version of course)...dont even require refrigerating after opening if a person aint so inclined. 

bigwheel


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## diane (Mar 24, 2006)

I have never had the smallest spike of bother with potato salad, or anything else for that matter. My take on it ....

Potatoes, as many as you need of the chosen type.
Sour cream )
Mayo ) as much as you need of either, or want of either
Mustard ) Whole grain is nice, or american, english is too hot
Bell Peppers ) red yellow orange. Chopped about 1/4 inch. As many as you think best.
Celery ) abraided and sliced fairy thin.
Onion ) could be red, but please yourself. Chopped fine, not grated.
Gerkins ) if tiny, whole, if a little bigger chopped as you wish.
Gerkin water ) to suit the amount you have made
Dill Pickles. ) sliced or cubed, drained.
Soft Herbs ) chopped. Parsley Basil Chives whatever
What ) anything else takes your fancy. I never use eggs.

Cook the spuds, drain and pour over the sauce.

Sauce: Mix everything together ready for the hot spuds. Pour over and put the lid on for a couple of minutes. So it sort of knotily melts. Tip over and around with your largest spoon. Gently. 

Take on a picnic, or serve when ready. it has never let me down. 

Not to make light of the matter at all, and I do understand the chefs position, who must man the front lines of the restaurant business. But do you think we are becoming a little manic about bugs and things. I know it is very serious, but with a properly trained crew, how likely is it to happen. In house procedure would cover most of a suppliers shortcomings. And shortcomings would be quickly evident to the tutored eye. Not to mention nose. Are we becoming too 'delicate'. And why? 

Or are we just a picky people with too much on our plates. And our hips. And in our lips? It is the same here, Australia, and England. As it is in America. On the Continent everything is much more modest. A blessed relief. To give a 100lb woman the same as a 23year year old strapping male is a curious thing. 

It isn't that the meals should be different in cost. That can't be, when all the overheads are the same, and the ingredients are a small part of an overall cost to the proprieter. There are still bums on chairs, a taken place, a four year old is as surely taking the place as a 250lb man, who would eat a million % more than some spoiled brat who would eat a chip then throw a tantrum. 

I guess I am making the point that we should be able to order large, med., or small dinners. Same price, but not the same face averting terror of over catering. This is why I love buffets. 

As for children behaving badly, they are invited into the kitchen. In this establishment. And they come out like angels. Funny business. ;Þ


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

My favorite potato salad is "Potatoes in Garlic Mayonnaise" from the book "Tapas- the Little Dishes of Spain" by Penelope Casas.

3/4 lb potatoes, preferably red waxy
1/2 mayonnaise, preferably homemade
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBSP minced parsley
Salt

That's her recipe. I like to add

3-4 more cloves garlic (you only live once!)
2 TBSP e-v olive oil
1/2 tsp lemon juice

I like to use the _Cook's Illustrated_ garlic strategy- sautee 2/3 of the garlic in a little evoo for deeper flavor and use the rest raw for some bite. Zapping it in the microwave works nearly as well and is quicker.

The mayo should be a little thin - add lemon juice if necessary - toss with the boiled and quartered potatoes and let stand at room temp for 20 minutes,
or refrigerate but return to room temp before serving.

This serves 4-6. You can, obviously, multiply it.

Mike


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