Marinated Potato Salad

Potato salad you can take to a picnic and not worry about the mayo.

I recently made this for an outdoor meal with 340 people.  It held up well and tasted even better after it rested for a few hours.  Because of the rainy spring and late plantings there weren’t many local potatoes ready yet so I added zucchini to bulk it up to the 14 gallons that I needed to make.  We’re just beginning the season where zucchini is added to everything…and last week I was really grateful for its prolific yields!

I think the fresh herbs are key to this—the rosemary and thyme add liveliness, and you cannot add too much parsley.

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The capers give it a salty pungent punch.

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Capers are the immature green flower buds of the Capparis spinosa grown in the Mediterranean and California.  They are usually dried and pickled in a brine, and can range in size from an eighth of an inch to a quarter inch depending on the varieties.  They go well with chicken, fish, eggs, tomatoes and other vegetables, and are a main ingredient of tapenade.

Feel free to add other vegetables like fresh green beans, tomatoes or fennel bulb.  Ah…summer!

Marinated Potato Salad

Prep Time: 30 minutes   Cook Time:  30 minutes for potatoes  Marinate Time: 1 hour

Boil in salted water until cooked but not mushy:

Red or Gold Potatoes—around 1  1/2 pounds

Drain, let them cool.

Chop the potatoes into cubes.

Whisk in a small bowl:

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

1 clove Garlic, minced

1 teaspoons Sea Salt—taste and adjust—if you use olives they will add salt

Pepper to taste

Combine in a large bowl:

3 cups cooked Potatoes, diced

1 cup Zucchini, diced

1 cup Celery, diced

1/2 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped

1/4 cup Green Onions, chopped

2-3 Tablespoons Caselvetrano or Colossal Green Olives

2 teaspoons Capers, chopped + 1 teaspoon Caper Brine

1 Tablespoon mixture of Fresh Thyme and Rosemary, minced

the Dressing

Gently stir everything together. 

Let sit an hour before serving—it takes a while for the flavors to meld into the potatoes.  

Taste and adjust.

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The Life of Riley….cuddling on a hot day

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