Taste of Americana: June is Bustin’ Out All Over

Barbie Butz

June is Bustin’ Out All Over

As the Rodgers and Hammerstein lyrics imply, “June is bustin’ out all over,” and around these parts, it’s bustin’ with graduations, weddings, wine festivals, barbecues, family reunions, and so much more.

Funny how our menus change with the onslaught of summer. We go from those warm and cozy comfort food meals by the fireplace to casual outdoor picnics in a park. I love the way our north county seasonal changes inspire us to “cook with the weather.”

Potato Salad is always on my summer menus, and I have a minor collection (and growing) of potato salad recipes. I can’t seem to pass up a new or even an old recipe from a friend for that picnic classic.

As a matter of fact, a friend has been visiting from North Carolina, and while here, she prepared her version of the salad for Easter dinner. It was served with baked ham. I now have the recipe for my collection, and I’m sharing it with you.

Leigh Ann’s Potato Salad

Ingredients:

5-6 potatoes, boiled with skins on 2-3 hard-boiled eggs, finely mashed with a fork 2 stalks celery, finely chopped 1 medium onion, finely chopped 4 dill pickle spears, finely chopped 1 handful pimento-stuffed green olives, finely chopped Paprika and fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

Wash potatoes, place in large pot, cover with water, and cook until tender but not over-cooked. Remove from pot and peel when cool. Coarsely chop potatoes and put in large bowl. Add eggs, celery, onion, dill pickle, and green olives. In small bowl, mix mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, dill weed, and a little milk to thin the mayonnaise. Using a wooden spoon or a spatula, mix dressing into potato mixture. If salad is too dry, mix more dressing, thinning with milk. Lightly sprinkle top of salad with paprika and fresh chopped parsley.

Here’s another salad for your summer “people-gathering” menus. Potato salad and coleslaw have always been go-together offerings for picnics and barbecues. There are probably as many recipes for coleslaw as there are for potato salad.

This is a lower-fat version of the classic recipe and uses nonfat Greek yogurt and less mayonnaise.

Creamy Coleslaw

Ingredients for slaw:

1 head cabbage, finely chopped

Ingredients for dressing:

2/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt 1/3 cup mayonnaise (I like Best Foods) 2 ounces vinegar (cider, white wine, or rice wine) 1 large carrot, grated

3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Chop cabbage into 1/8 to 1⁄4 inch pieces in a food processor or by hand. Put cabbage and grated carrot in a large bowl. Whisk dressing ingredients together in a medium bowl. Taste dressing and adjust if desired. Add the dressing to the cabbage (using less than full amount if desired), stirring to coat evenly. Best if made at least 2 hours ahead or the day before.

Additional Dressing

Note: I’m including this recipe for an optional dressing. Use the same ingredients and directions for the cabbage, using the following dressing recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup sour cream 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise 1⁄4 cup vinegar (cider, white wine, or rice wine) 5 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1 heaping teaspoon horseradish Follow same directions for this dressing as given in the above recipe.