A Taste From Home: Potato Salads!

Original Southern Potato Salad

Asparagus Potato Salad

Ah, potato salad, a typical Southern food from the U.S. of A. Well, at least that's what I've been reading. Even though I'm from North Carolina, we did not each much potato salad in my house growing up - probably because of my sister, the picky eater! My sister, Caroline, was notorious for having a love for pizza and pasta when she was younger - and not much else! However, when I told my mom that I was making potato salad as a part of dinner last week, she surprised me by telling me her mother made the most amazing potato salad when she was younger. I don't have this recipe yet, but once I get it, I'll be sure to try it and add it to La Buena Fe.

Anyway, there are always potatoes and eggs in my house in the DR, so potato salad seemed like it could become a new staple for us. I tried one original recipe, and then I tweeked it to add in asparagus. They both turned out really beautifully.

If you normally stay away from potato salad because of the fat content, think again! One thing I have added in each recipe is the option of using non-fat, probiotic plain yogurt instead of mayonnaise. This change is wonderful because it does not take away from the taste, and it makes potato salad manageable in your diet. I used non-fat, probiotic plain yogurt in both recipes. They tasted great, and I felt good about what I was putting into my body!

Enjoy it as a side dish or bring a big batch to a potluck - however you decide, you will not be disappointed!

Recipes

Original Southern Potato Salad

4 potatoes, peeled chopped into cubes

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped into cubes

1/2 stalk celery, diced

1/4 cup sweet relish

5 chives, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1/2 cup light mayonnaise or non-fat, probiotic plain yogurt

salt and pepper to taste

First, boil the potatoes and eggs together for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Chop the eggs. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, and all of the other ingredients together until everything is sufficiently mixed. Serve warm or chilled!

Asparagus Potato Salad

1 lb. potatoes, peeled and chopped into cubes

1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and cut into cubes

1 15 oz. can of asparagus (Or the equivalent in fresh asparagus! You wouldn't believe it, but fresh asparagus does not exist in the Dominican Republic!)

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

5 chives, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons sweet relish

1/2 cup light mayonnaise or non-fat, probiotic plain yogurt

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

First, boil the asparagus (canned or fresh) until it is tender, which is only about 5 minutes. Second, boil the potatoes and eggs for about 20 minutes, until the eggs are cooked and the potatoes are tender. Chop the eggs and place them along with the potatoes and asparagus in a large bowl. Add the onion, garlic, sweet relish, red pepper, light mayo or yogurt, dijon mustard, salt and pepper and mix gently. Serve warm or chilled!

a buen tiempo!

Scrambled Eggs al Caribe: When there's no food in the pantry, or the fridge, or...anywhere.

I know what you're thinking - "That has a disturbing resemblance to my dog's breakfast."

I made one mistake: oregano (green) + paprika (red) = brown color aka the dog food quality.

I love! oregano and paprika together, and when using it on chicken or another meat, the darker color is not something you think about as "gross" as you might with scrambled eggs.

Lesson learned - for this dish, you can leave out the oregano, or add it in the end as a garnish.

On Thursday, I was thinking about dinner and I realized there were not a lot of options. Eggs, which I mostly eat for lunch as a protein booster; left over potatoes from the night before; a questionable piece of red pepper that had been there for a week or so; an onion hidden in the back of the pantry; and finally, a 1/2 lime that was on its last leg.

Together, this Scrambled Eggs al Caribe was absolutely delicious, regardless of the color it adopted. I call it "al Caribe" specifically because of the lime juice at the end because here in the DR we use lime on and in EVERYTHING - salads, drinks, alcoholic drinks, vegetables, meat dishes, etc. etc. etc.

And also because living in the Caribbean provokes the "what the hell are we going to eat" situation more often than not.

Recipe:

Scrambled Eggs al Caribe

3 eggs

1 lb. (approximately) of potatoes, already boiled and cut into cubes

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 onion, diced

1 small tomato, sliced

cilantro, diced finely

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon paprika

1/2 lime (or just lime juice if you are not in a place where limes are rampant!)

1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

salt to taste

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, and then add the diced onions and red pepper. Let them cook for about 3 minutes, and then add the potatoes. Now add the oregano, paprika, and a dash of salt, and move everything around so all the elements are covered with seasoning. Scramble the three eggs in a separate bowl and add them to the pan, mixing the onions, potatoes, and red pepper so it is all distributed evenly in the eggs. Do not stir immediately! Wait until the eggs begin to set, and then stir until there are no runny parts left of the eggs. Once they are cooked to your liking, squeeze your 1/2 lime evenly over your almost finished meal, and stir again.

Serve Scrambled Eggs al Caribe with diced cilantro on top and sliced tomato on the side. Serves 2 with leftovers for snacking!

a buen tiempo!