Japanese Potato Salad

Potatoes. Baked whole or in wedges or in fries, mashed, fried. Turned into salad, soup, latkes or hash. I once interviewed a farmer who said if you didn’t know what to do with potatoes you should get out of the kitchen.

Store your potatoes in a dark, cool location. Not the refrigerator. I like to rinse mine and let them dry thoroughly before storing.

Everybody has a dozen potato salad recipes. Here’s one more.

This is “Japanese” potato salad because it uses Japanese mayonnaise. Feel free to substitute your favorite all-American brand. No Japanese hot mustard? A little horseradish will make for another all-American substitute.

Zucchini Frittata

This recipe from King Arthur Flour is pretty quick. You really do need to salt and sauté the squash to keep from having a watery final product. If you follow these steps, you’ll end up with beautiful wedges. It’s also just as good at room temperature or cold.

My zucchini is grated, salted and sitting in a colander as I write.

If you like, use your leek as part of the chopped onion.

Squash/Cucumber Bread and Butter Pickles

As far as I’m concerned, it’s never too early in the season to put up pickles! I wish I could remember where this recipe came from, but it’s full of good instructions about proper canning. If you don’t want to do the sterilizing and boiling bath canning, then make the pickles and refrigerate them as soon as the brine cools. Consider them refrigerator pickles and eat them in a week or two.

To sterilize canning jars, submerge them in boiling water for at least 10 minutes and until they are ready to be filled. Use new lids, and sterilize them according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Notes on Spring Produce

Another amazing week of vegetables. That head of romaine is just right for grilling – if you’re so inclined. I shared directions for grilling lettuce a few weeks ago, but basically – wash the head, cut it in half lengthwise, brush the cut sides with olive oil and grill. Dress it with a simple vinaigrette. Read More…