Potato Salad ~ Irresistible Italian!

🔆Summer Is Salad Season 🔆
Let’s give a shout out to potato salad! Do you have a favorite potato salad recipe? If not, this may be it! GREEN jalapeño peppers, RED bell peppers and WHITE onions, straight from Italy. I have converted potato salad haters after tasting this IRRESISTIBLE Italian Potato Salad.

MUST HAVE ~ for Italian Potato Salad

First, start with yellow flesh potatoes (medium starch – slightly creamy texture) or organic garden potatoes [small new potatoes, red potatoes (firm, lowest starch) or fingerling (great flavour)]. Tiny potatoes are best. Lemon is the FIRST magic ingredient. DILL is the SECOND secret ingredient. My fresh dill – salmon sandwiches always bring smiles. When I added dill to my potato salad – more raves and cheers! Make sure to add (1) Lemon & lemon zest, (2) DILL and (3) ‘HOT’ dry mustard. This THIRD ‘hot’ magic ingredient is essential in the potato salad. The mustard powder does not taste hot at all. You will see. Whatever else you add is good. These first three ingredients are a MUST HAVE and your creation becomes IRRESISTIBLE.!!

Irrestistible Potato Salad Recipe

Italian Potato Salad Recipe

  • Servings: 8-10
  • Difficulty: easy
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INGREDIENTS
12-14 small potatoes
1/2 cup mayonnaise (home made) see recipe
1/2 cup sour cream ( or Greek yogurt)
1/2 cup of fresh dill – chopped
1 fresh lemon (juice) and zest
1-2 GREEN jalapino peppers (no seeds)- diced
1 RED bell pepper – diced
1 WHITE sweet vidalia onion (finely chopped) Substitute scallions or leeks.
1 tsp hot dried mustard
Add fine Himalayan red salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Optional: 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced, 1-2 chopped dill pickles (a must for mom’s potato salad)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Boil water and place (unpeeled) potatoes in a large pot. Make sure potatoes are completely covered Reduce heat to medium. In about 20 minutes potatoes are cooked. Test with a sharp knife or fork. Drain and set aside. Peel cooled potatoes while watching TV. Then dice potatoes in the bowl with a sharp knife
  2. Mix mayonnaise & sour cream with lemon juice, lemon zest, dill, powdered mustard and peppers
  3. Incorporate the spicy mayonnaise with the chopped potatoes
  4. Taste your mix and add more salt or lemon juice. You decide what is needed to get that irresistible flavour.

Play with ingredients for different results. I sometimes add 1 raw, minced garlic clove for added zest.

Once I ordered salad in a hotel. It arrived in a chilled cucumber bowl. My version of this potato salad was to rim the potato salad with thin sliced cucumber when serving guests. Garnish with radishes, cucumber and celery boats. TIP: I use an empty tin can open on both ends and line the can with a single layer of thin cucumber. Overlap the edge and cut off excess cucumber to make an even stand up edge. Add potato salad inside the can up to the top of the cucumber slices and chill for at least one hour. See picture above.

No-Mayo Italian Potato Salad (Vegan Friendly)

Add Italian dressing or oil and vinegar. Optional; chopped scallions or onions on hand. Add any greens like parsley, cilantro, a bit of thyme, finely chopped kale. Rosemary would be a great addition! This is how mom made her potato salad. She used dill and chopped dill pickles.

Sweet Potato Salad – Spicy Version

print_recipe
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INGREDIENTS
sweet-potato-ingredients21 large to 2 small (about 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes)
1 medium size red pepper
1/4 cup sherry or red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium apple (any sweet organic is good)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves chopped or 1/4 cup dried mint
1 or 2 minced jalapeno peppers
1/4 cup dried currants or raisins(optional)

DIRECTIONS
1) Preheat oven to 400F and roast as per previous recipe or alternatively steam the potatoes.
2) While the potatoes are cooking, put in blender the remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil with the vinegar, red bell pepper, cumin and the orange zest if you are using. Sprinkle with the salt.
3) Add the apple, scallion, mint, jalapeno and raisins
to the warm potatoes and gently toss.
4) Add most of the dressing and toss. Add more dressing if you need it. Taste for seasoning.
5) Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for the next day.
sweet-potato-salad-spicy223