spring new potato salad

Something really strange went down in my kitchen a couple days ago.  I made potato salad.  Nobody was holding me at gunpoint.  No picky steak-and-potatoes people were coming over for dinner.  It was entirely of my own volition.  And I liked it.

The thing is, I don't actually care for potatoes.  (In my world, there are two kinds of people - rice people and potato people.  Which one are you?)  I might eat roasted fingerling potatoes with rosemary occasionally, but that's about the extent of my potato-eating desire.  I don't love French fries.  Tater tots are just okay.  I don't even really like potato chips, unless they are being used as a vessel for some sort of dip, or unless they are of the salt and vinegar variety.  But you know, the more acceptable ways of eating potatoes, I don't like those one bit.  I don't like them boiled and mashed, unless they are dressed beyond recognition with sour cream and butter.  And I hate baked potatoes - don't even get me started on baked potatoes with cheddar cheese and bacon bits.  Eww.  I will never understand why that's a thing. 

Which is why it is strange that I found myself making potato salad the other day for lunch.  As you can imagine, now that I am (almost) at the end of the Lenten season, I have a few loose odds and ends in my refrigerator.  I decided to do a big refrigerator clean-up and clean out, throwing away what was no longer good, and putting the rest in a big "cook something with this" pile.  When all was said and done, I threw out a cucumber, a bunch of parsley, half an old bell pepper, and a few ounces here and there of homemade salad dressings that smelled funky.  I saved a bunch of radishes, four scallions, and tupperware of previously-canned artichoke hearts.  So, I scanned the Internet for recipes incorporating those ingredients, and I came across one called Spring Cleaning/Potato Salad.  Funny.  The author had done the same "spring cleaning" of her refrigerator, and came up with a potato salad using the remnants.  I made a mental note to pick up some potatoes and give it a shot - otherwise, the ingredients would be headed for the trash in a couple of days.  Worst case scenario?  I'd hate it, in which case I would just give it to friends.

As much as it pains me to admit, I actually love this potato salad.  It is made with small "new potatoes" (aka baby potatoes), which are purposely harvested prematurely.  As immature potatoes, they are small, have a thin skin, and a less offensive texture and flavor than their bigger, tougher counterparts, "old potatoes".  Besides the fact that new potatoes apparently taste better than big old potatoes, this salad has a ton of other redeeming qualities - it is loaded with other vegetables and it is not doused in mayonnaise.  Though, let's be honest.  If it were, I probably wouldn't mind.  Y'all know how I love me some mayonnaise.

I made my version with green onions, artichoke hearts, and radishes sliced paper-thin.  To cut the radishes, I used my mandoline.  You could probably just use a knife if you have any semblance of dexterity and patience, but as you are probably aware, I have neither.  The original recipe calls for frozen green peas, which I don't particularly love, so I was just planning on leaving them out.  However, while the potatoes were boiling, I discovered a bag of field peas that I had frozen at the end of last summer, after my mom had found them at a farm stand in Pungo.  And after a very non-commital flirtation with the idea of adding them, I threw them in at the end.  (That's my idea of living on the edge.)  I couldn't tell what kind of field peas they were, so I called my mom to ask her how long they should cook.

"Oh, they kind of take a long time.  They're gonna need to boil for a while," she said.

By "a while", I thought she meant upward of 40 minutes, like other legumes.  Well, no joke, fifteen minutes after I hung up the phone, my kitchen started smelling like burnt popcorn, and sure enough all the water was absorbed and they were stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Luckily, they didn't taste bad (I think I caught them just in time) so I threw them in there anyway.

So yes, this is kind of an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink potato salad, but it's delicious.  Add whatever you fancy, and adjust according to your tastes.  For example, my mom hates dill, but I bet chives would also be great in it.  Whatever you do, be sure not to let your potatoes boil too long.  You want them to be just barely tender - "fork tender", whatever that means.  I let mine cook for 13 minutes or so.  Transfer the potatoes to a cold ice bath immediately so they stop cooking; this also makes them easier to handle.

This recipe is great served cold or at room temperature, and it is even better the next day.  It would also be great for a late-spring outdoor barbeque.  Man, I can't wait till it's officially grilling season.  Somebody with a grill invite me over....

Spring new potato salad
Adapted very loosely from The Incuisition
Serves 4

1 pound new (baby) potatoes (I used a mix of red and yellow)
4 green onions, chopped (both green and white parts)
1 bunch radishes, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 15-ounce can artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup field peas, sugar snap peas, or frozen peas
4 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard (can use more if you want a real kick...grainy mustard would be good, too)
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

1.  In a medium pot, boil potatoes until just tender, 12-15 minutes.  Transfer to ice bath and set aside.
2.  If your peas are frozen or uncooked, cover with about an inch of water and let them cook.  Depending on the variety, time will vary from a quick 1-2 minute blanch to a full cook.  Keep an eye on them.
3.  While potatoes are cooling, chop your green onions, radishes, and artichoke hearts, and dill, and combine in a large serving bowl.
4.  In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and lemon juice.  Add salt and pepper, to taste.
5.  Chop potatoes and add to bowl with other vegetables and herbs.  Pour dressing over salad, and toss to coat.  Top with feta cheese, if desired.  This is even better after it sits a while, and it's great the next day.