Dill Potato Salad

What goes better with BBQ than potato salad as a side dish? Really, it is the perfect accompaniment to pretty much anything grilled. But, considering that we have a lot of summer days in the south-west and my husband loves to BBQ, I have to have a big repertoire of go-to salads or we would eat the same thing over and over again, and who wants to do that? True, I do have a few salads I make often, like my Better Than Restaurant Coleslaw or my Susi's German Pasta Salad but I do like variety, so I try new recipes quite frequently. Some taste great and make it into regular rotation but many recipes I end up tossing out since they were not a hit with the family.

This potato salad falls into the "regular rotation" category. I love dill and use it a lot in my cooking so when I came across this salad it was a no-brainer for me. Unfortunately potato salad is never made quickly. And honestly, it isn't my favorite task when it comes to peeling the boiled potatoes, but the reward in the end is that the salad is always well received.

Starting with a good tasting potato is key for a tasty end result. I like to use Yukon gold potatoes. Their buttery taste works well in a variety of dishes, plus they keep their shape well. Celery, green onions and and a lot of fresh dill add freshness to the recipe. A delicious dressing that combines mayonnaise, sour cream and a heaping tablespoon of Dijon mustard make this potato salad a winner.

If you have room for another potato salad recipe this summer on your dinner table, then give this one a try, you won't be disappointed.

Dill Potato Salad

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cooked, peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons white vinegar

3/4 cup celery, diced

1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup mayo

1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons fresh dill, minced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the cooked but still warm potatoes and toss with the white vinegar. Set aside to cool.

Add the celery and green onions to the cooled potatoes.

In a separate bowl whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently add the dressing to the potato-vegetable mixture and carefully toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Irish Colcannon Potatoes

This week is Irish week on Susi's Kochen und Backen. Yesterday I kicked off the week with a delicious Glazed Corned Beef. Since this wasn't going to be a "traditional" Irish meal, I had to come up with something other then boiled potatoes and cabbage. This brought me to a recipe for Colcannon (Irish: cál ceannann, meaning "white-headed cabbage") Potatoes.

Colcannon is traditionally made from mashed potatoes, kale or cabbage, butter, salt and pepper. It can contain additional ingredients such as milk, cream, leeks, onions, chives, boiled ham or Irish bacon. At one time this was a cheap, year-round staple in many households in Ireland. It is usually eaten in the Fall and Winter times when the kale and cabbage are in season.

I stayed pretty close to the traditional version but added green onions and American bacon to mine. Also I decided on cabbage rather then kale only because everyone prefers cabbage in our house.

 You can make this dish with any potato, but I prefer Yukon Golds. They have a very buttery taste to begin with and lend any potato dish a great flavor.

This one was good, as in REALLY good. The kids and husband couldn't get enough of it either. Irish Colcannon Potatoes will be served a lot more from now on in our house.

Irish Colcannon Potatoes

~serves 8~
(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 pound cabbage, shredded

2 cups water

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 cup milk

1/2 cup green onions, sliced

4 tablespoons butter, melted (divided)

Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste

1/4 pound thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions:

In a large saucepan, bring cabbage and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Keep cabbage warm.

Place cabbage cooking liquid and potatoes in a large saucepan; add enough additional water to cover the potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-17 minutes or until tender. Drain and keep warm.

In a small pot, gently warm milk and green onions. While the milk is warming mash the potatoes with 2 tablespoons butter. Add the milk mixture; beat until well combined. Mix in the cabbage, salt, pepper and half of the cooked bacon bits. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons melted butter and reserved bacon bits.

Serve with corned beef.

Coming up tomorrow: Fried Cabbage

Oven Fries with Parmesan and Garlic

My kids believe that fries go great with just about anything. I tend to agree but usually fries made in the oven don't come close to their fried counterpart.

After eating garlic fries at Gordon Biersch not too long ago, I decided to replicate the recipe or at least come close to the original. Since I don't own a deep fryer or like to mess with hot oil I knew it would have to work in the oven. Searching all over the internet for a decent oven fries recipe, I finally settled on one by one of my favorite chef's (Tyler Florence). His recipe for oven fries was just what I was looking for. Staying true to the main recipe I only decided to switch up a few things: More potatoes, shredded Parmesan and of course garlic. They turned out beautiful. Cooked (without being too soft) on the inside and a little crunch on the outside - perfect. We had these with our steak dinner along with the Warm Spinach Salad with Bacon that is featured on my site as well.

Oven Fries with Parmesan and Garlic

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

3 russet potatoes, cut in 1/2 lengthwise, halves cut lengthwise into fourths to make 24 big, fat wedges

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup fresh Parmesan, shredded

2 tablespoons flat-leaf Parsley, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Preheat a baking sheet in the hot oven for at least 5 minutes.

While the baking sheet is heating, toss the potatoes with the olive oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Dump the potatoes out onto the pre-heated baking sheet, spreading to a single layer. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, shaking the pan every now and then, until the potatoes are cooked through, brown and crispy. Toss the fries in a big bowl with the garlic, parsley and cheese.