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Potato Salad

From left, potato, Cole slaw and macaroni salad. METRO photo

By Barbara Beltrami

Call me crazy,  but this year on the Fourth of July I’m going to pull out all the throttles with traditional American dishes. I want hot dogs with the works, and that means, mustard, relish and sauerkraut. I want  hamburgers oozing cheese and ketchup and crunchy with slices of raw onion. And I want the three traditional salads, tart and creamy with mayonnaise.

Not that it wouldn’t be okay to have a few appetizers like deviled eggs, chips with salsa and guacamole, maybe some scallion pancakes or shrimp rolls to munch on while things get going, but after the past year filled with all its denials and restrictions I want to renew the pleasure of scarfing down good old-fashioned potato salad and cole slaw and macaroni salad. 

And while I’m loading up my plate I want to keep in mind and remind my fellow indulgers that the day is not just a day for gorging ourselves with the things we love to eat, but primarily an anniversary of the day 245 years ago that we declared ourselves free from tyranny and launched a nation dedicated to equality and unalienable rights, a day to savor not just what comes out of the kitchen and off the grill but all those other unassailable rights and privileges that we enjoy.

Potato Salad

YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 pounds small red-skinned potatoes

Salt

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons prepared mustard

1/3 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup chopped fresh dill leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 celery rib, minced

1/2 medium red onion, peeled and minced

DIRECTIONS: 

Place the whole potatoes in a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil; lower heat to simmer and cook 15 minutes until potatoes are al dente; drain, remove from heat, then set in a colander over cooking water (with heat turned off), cover and let heat from hot water finish cooking them, about 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, wine, dill, salt, pepper, celery and onion. After the potatoes have cooled off a bit, but are still warm, halve or quarter them, depending on size, place them in a large bowl and toss them with the dressing. Let sit until completely cool, toss again and refrigerate. Toss one more time before serving. Serve with hot dogs, hamburgers or just about anything you’re grilling.

Cole Slaw

Cole Slaw

YIELD: Makes 12 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

3 cups shredded green cabbage

3 cups shredded red cabbage

2 to 3 carrots, peeled and shredded

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup unflavored Greek yogurt

Scant 1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 cup sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: 

In large bowl combine cabbage and carrots. In small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, celery seed, sugar, and salt and pepper. Add to cabbage and carrot mixture and toss to thoroughly coat. Cover and chill unless serving immediately. Serve with grilled or fried meat, poultry or fish.

Macaroni Salad

Macaroni Salad

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS: 

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

1 celery rib, diced

1/2 small red onion, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1 cup diced fresh tomato

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Generous 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Coarse salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: 

Cook macaroni according to package instructions, drain and rinse in cold water; drain again. In large bowl combine the macaroni, celery, onion, parsley and tomato. In small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper. Pour dressing over macaroni mixture and toss to thoroughly coat. Cover and store in fridge. Serve with grilled chicken, beef or fish.

Potato Salad with Bacon and Egg

By Barbara Beltrami

“Please pass the potato salad.” Famous last or more likely first words at many a party, picnic or barbecue. Who among us does not adore the tangy taste of that ubiquitous combination of potatoes and dressing? And while that dressing may range from vinegar and oil to mayonnaise to whipped or sour cream, there is one constant to all good potato salad recipes: The potatoes are freshly cooked, not left over. 

Additions such as herbs, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, capers, mustard or pickles can always dress up the salad, but for me, the more basic the recipe, the less interference with that wonderful marriage of potatoes and dressing. 

Potato Salad with Bacon and Egg

Potato Salad with Bacon and Egg

YIELD: Makes 10 to 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled

1½ cups mayonnaise or to taste

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

¼ pound crisp fried bacon, crumbled

5 hard boiled eggs quartered

1 medium red onion, minced

2 celery ribs, diced

1 medium tomato, diced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced

DIRECTIONS:

Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender; rinse under cold water, drain and set aside until cool enough to handle. Mix mayonnaise with vinegar; add bacon, eggs, onion, celery and tomato. While they are still warm, slice or coarsely chop but do not peel potatoes.In a large bowl, toss with mayonnaise mixture, salt and pepper; sprinkle parsley on top.  Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled with sandwiches, grilled meat or poultry or cold cuts.

Potato Salad with Herbed Vinaigrette

YIELD: Makes 10 to 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 pounds tiny new potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 ounces white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons dry white wine

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill leaves

½ cup fresh chopped chives

¼ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 scallions, very thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender; rinse under cold water, drain and set aside until cool enough to handle. In a medium bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar, wine, herbs, scallions, salt and pepper; toss with potatoes and serve warm or at room temperature with cold cuts, poultry, or beef or other salads.

Old-Fashioned Basic Potato Salad

YIELD: Makes 10 to 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled

2 cups good mayonnaise

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 celery ribs finely chopped

1 medium red onion, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Drain, rinse in cold water and set aside till cool enough to handle. In a medium bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, celery, onion, salt and pepper. In large bowl, toss with potatoes. Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled with barbecued chicken, burgers, hot dogs or steaks.

Oven-Fried Chicken

By Barbara Beltrami

When I was a little kid, there were three elderly women, Harriet, Tess and Bea, friends of my grandmother, who shared a beach bungalow on some little island off the Connecticut coast. Each summer we would pack the car and make our annual pilgrimage to visit them. 

It always seemed there was so much to do there. They would send us on scavenger hunts for prizes from the dime store or foraging for beach glass. We fished, dug clams, husked corn and ate cucumbers and tomatoes from their garden and helped them make jam from the wild berries along the road. We baked cakes and cookies and pies and played cards and checkers and Monopoly on the porch.  

But best of all were the picnics, the highlights of our time there. Harriet insisted there was only one menu for any real picnic, and it could not be altered or amended. Her fried chicken took center stage while Tess’ potato salad sat in a Pyrex bowl right beside it along with Bea’s deviled eggs. Sliced tomatoes were obligatory as were iced tea and lemonade and, of course, watermelon. They would never share their recipes, but I think these are pretty good approximations.

Oven-Fried Chicken

Oven-Fried Chicken

YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 broiler-fryer chickens, cut into 4 pieces each

1 quart buttermilk

1 cup flour

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup plain breadcrumbs

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

½ cup vegetable or canola oil

DIRECTIONS: 

Place chicken in a large shallow baking dish; pour buttermilk over it and coat thoroughly; turn to coat other side. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, turning once. Preheat oven to 375 F. Remove chicken from buttermilk and pat lightly with paper towels; discard buttermilk. 

Dip chicken first in flour, then in egg and finally in breadcrumbs seasoned with salt and pepper. Pour oil into large shallow baking pan; place chicken in pan and place in oven; bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning once, until chicken is crisp. Remove chicken, drain on paper towels and serve hot, at room temperature or cold with potato salad, deviled eggs and sliced tomatoes.

Potato Salad

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1½ pounds small new potatoes, scrubbed

½ cup minced celery

¼ cup minced red onion

½ cup minced fresh Italian parsley leaves

½ cup (or more) mayonnaise

1 tablespoon prepared Dijon mustard

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: 

Boil potatoes until tender but firm; cool to room temperature; cut into bite-size chunks, if necessary. In a large bowl combine with celery, onion and parsley. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise with mustard, salt and pepper; add to potato mixture and combine. Cover and refrigerate or serve immediately at room temperature with fried chicken, devilled eggs and sliced tomatoes.

Deviled Eggs

Deviled Eggs

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

4 hard-boiled eggs

Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS: 

Remove egg shells, then cut eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and mash with salt, mayonnaise, mustard and cayenne. With a small teaspoon, scoop mixture back into egg whites. Cover and refrigerate or serve immediately with fried chicken, potato salad and sliced tomatoes.