Basil & Tomato Potato Salad

Basil & Tomato

Red Potato Salad

The Perfect Spring & Summer Salad for all occasions!  

The bright flavors of Basil and Tomato, without the heavy mayonnaise makes this perfect for the Spring & Summer seasons. This is a refined version of a simple classic comfort food, without the guilt! Full of Antioxidants, Low Calorie, Low Fat, and Delicious!

Pretty much great for more than just BBQ’s or picnics, as you’ve seen before with my Coconut & Old Bay Salmon Cakes.

Total time: 2 ½ hours (2hrs cool time) Cook time: 25 min Servings: 8-10 sides Dif: EASY

Clean Up Time:   Easy!

Ingredients

• 3 lbs Red Potatoes- bite size cut with Skins ON
• 1 cup Basil - cut into thin ribbons or torn (not chopped)
• ¼ cup chopped Parsley
• 1 cup Grape tomatoes - cut in quarters long wise
• 1 cup chopped Celery
• ½ Shallot - finely chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic- finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard (if you must 1 Tbsp Mayo & 1Tbsp dijon)
• ¼ cup White Wine Vinegar
• ½ tsp Salt & white pepper -or- to taste
• 1 ½ cup Olive Oil
• Salt for potatoes

*This recipe is easy to follow -however- it includes making a Vinaigrette and is Temperature Sensitive.   *Read the entire procedure before you start so you’ll have success!

WHAT ELSE YOU’LL NEED:

• Pot to boil Potatoes in
• Colander to drain potatoes
• Whisk or fork
• Mixing Bowl
• Spatula or large spoon
• Knife

PROCEDURE:

Don’t forget to wash all veggies well because you’re not cooking them!

1. Cover cut potatoes with cold water by 2 inches & add a handful of salt
2. Bring to a boil, cook all the way thru… Don’t Over Cook!
3. Drain potatoes.  Leave under cold running water to stop the cooking process & they will hold their shape without falling apart.  
4. Once potatoes are still warm but NOT cold & drained, put in large bowl with: Tomatoes, Celery, Shallot, Basil, & Parsley.

Vinaigrette

1. In another bowl - mix - Mustard, Vinegar, Garlic, Salt & Pepper.
2. Add a bit of oil & mix.  
3. Slowly drizzle the rest of the oil while whisking to incorporate. Going slow at first so it thickens.

*If it’s too oily go slower, & then you can add faster at the end until it’s cloudy & becomes thick as shown above.

Normally taste here for Salt & Pepper… but really you have to see how it tastes with the Potatoes because they’ll absorb the salt like a sponge.

Pour your vinaigrette over salad & Fold in until all is coated & mixed together.  Trying not to mash the potatoes!

Here’s where you’ll taste for salt, adjust if need… Now this may taste a little underwhelming as described above… But you’re Almost there...

The Most Important Step is the chilling! It’s not just the cold, it’s the time to marry everything together makes the flavors really bold and robust!

This is even better the next day, so if you can make it as early as possible, though 2 hours at least. I promise!!! It’s worth the wait!

You can actually serve this as a warm potato salad too, however I’d still go through the same stages as above, and then reheat in the oven.

However, Summer is coming!  - As the weather warms up, and at the end of a long day, we catch up with a couple cold beers, a couple of forks, and eat straight out of the bowl. Sometimes it’s the simple things… I hope it fills you with the same warm memories, which I’d love to hear about! Enjoy!