Rotisserie Chicken Salad with Grapes and Apple

This completes my series on Summer Picnic.  Remember the Potato Salad, Sour Cherry & Pecan Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Watermelon Lemonade?  While those three are quite delicious together, you probably need some protein - and that's where this chicken salad comes in.

Sour Cherry and Pecan Cookies with Chocolate Chips

I don't bake often.  There are more than one reason for this - the restriction of following a recipe, somewhat lack of experience (catch 22) and potential access to extra calories.  But that's "my problem."

When I teach cooking classes, however, I often include a dessert recipe for my students.  During one of my latest cooking classes, Summer Picnic, which included a Summer Picnic Potato Salad, I thought a cookie would fit right in.

Summer Picnic Potato Salad

I'm pretty sure that potato salad is universal.  For the most part, each country has a version of this comforting and versatile side dish (who am I kidding, sometimes this "side" dish becomes a whole meal for me).  I grew up eating the traditional Russian potato salad - loaded with potatoes, pickles, carrots, peas, eggs, dill and, of course, mayonnaise.  Later on in my life, I became a fan of the American version, and have also had a chance to try German and Spanish potato salads.

This is the salad that you want to make ahead of time to let the flavors shine.  Do save some of the scallions and dill to add to the salad right before serving it to your guests.  And be sure to make enough to have leftovers for yourself for the next day or two.

Summer Picnic Potato Salad
(adapted from Whole Foods Market Recipe)

Ingredients

2 pounds new red potatoes, washed
2 eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
3 sprigs fresh dill, finely chopped plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon coarse ground Dijon mustard
1 bunch scallions, sliced
2 stalks celery, peeled and finely diced
4 dill pickles, finely diced
1 tablespoon pickle juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika for garnish (optional)

Directions

1.  Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water.  Add a healthy pinch of salt and a few stalks of celery (you can also add some garlic and pepper corns - these will really add extra flavor to the potatoes).  Bring potatoes to a boil and turn down the heat.  Simmer potatoes, partially covered with a lid, until they are tender, about 25 minutes.  Discard celery and drain potatoes.  Return potatoes back to the pot to dry completely.  A few words about potatoes: it will a lot faster to cook diced or quartered potatoes.  However, cooking them whole, preserves their texture and keeps them more flavorful, less water diluted.  Peeling new potatoes is really unnecessary.  The skin is very thin and holds plenty of nutrients.

2.  Cook eggs while the potatoes are simmering.  This is the perfect, almost fool-proof way to cook eggs.  You will get the perfect, bright egg yolk, without the embarrassing and unappetizing green cover.  Put eggs in a small sauce pan and cover with cold water, add a pinch of salt (the salt prevent the eggs from cracking). Bring the water to a boil, cover the sauce pan from heat and allow to stand for 15 minutes.  Remove the eggs and run under cold water, until completely cool.  Peel and roughly chop the eggs.  Did you know that it's a lot easier to peel the eggs, starting from their fat end?

3.  Time to make the dressing.  Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, mustard, scallions and celery.  Add pickles, pickle juice, lemon juice and celery seed.  Adjust the taste with salt and pepper.

 4. With a rubber spatula, fold in potatoes and eggs. Cover and refrigerate.  Serve with a garnish of dill and paprika.

Click here to to find out what's the gorgeous drink in the background!

What's your favorite version of potato salad?

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Take a Chill with Watermelon Lemonade

Enjoy this easy, refreshing, non-alcoholic drink that will take you a few minutes and a blender to put together.

Combine equal amounts of lemonade (home made is best) and watermelon in a blender. Buzz. Pour over ice and garnish with mint.  Drink!  (And here's a recipe for the Summer Picnic Potato Salad).

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Hands on Cooking Classes: Seattle, July 2011

Check out the next set of hands on cooking classes I will be teaching at Whole Foods Market in Redmond.

Summer Picnic
Saturday, July 16th, Noon-2pm

Pack a picnic to take to your favorite park or to your own backyard. These recipes work great, even if prepared a day ahead.

* Classic Potato Salad
* Sonoma Chicken Salad
* Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
* Watermelon Lemonade

SSS - Simple Summer Squash Dishes
Tuesday, July 19th, 6-8pm

Squash, both yellow and green, are delicate enough to eat raw, yet versatile to pick up lots of flavor in cooked dishes. Today, we'll have it both ways.

* Squash & Zucchini Raw "Pasta" with Cherry Tomatoes
* Yellow Squash & Corn Cakes with Crema
* Baked Zucchini Boats with Spicy Italian Sausage
* Zucchini & Walnut Bread

Cooking with the Season
Thursday, July 21st, 6-8pm

Let's celebrate seasonal cooking and all it has to offer! Once a month, we'll gather in the kitchen and cook with seasonal produce. July in the Northwest puts a spotlight on triple C corn, cauliflower and cherries.

* Sweet Corn & Green Bean Salad with Goat Cheese Dressing
* Chicken & Vegetable Kabobs with Honey Citrus Marinade
* Cauliflower & Potato Puree with Caramelized Onions
* Cherry Sour Cream Pie

Knife Skills 101
Saturday, July 23rd, Noon-2pm

A great class for a new or a seasoned cook! Learn proper cutting technique that will save you time in the kitchen. We'll also save you some tears and cuts while teaching you how to slice, dice, chiffonade and julienne. Guest Eric Rose of AAA Sharper Edge will talk about taking care of your knives and keeping them sharp.

Watermelon Salad with Queso Fresco and Balsamic Reduction

I fell in love with watermelon as a kid.  Juicy, sweet, and available only in the summer, watermelon was a special treat.  We ate it by the slices, spitting out the seeds, or saving them for later (we'd pop them in the mouth and split the seed with our teeth, enjoying the sweet white flesh).  I remember my Dad telling us stories of his youth when he'd split the watermelon in half and scoop out its flesh with a spoon.  It sounded so indulgent and decadent to me!

One summer, when visiting my dad's relatives, I tasted pickled watermelon.  As a child, it didn't sound as strange to me as it might sound to most adults these days.  Maybe it's because even back then I was obsessed with everything pickled.  I suppose, that experience has prepared me to accept and embrace watermelon in savory preparation.

Tropical Shrimp Ceviche

If you can't afford an airplane ticket to the tropical paradise, I suggest you head out to your local grocery store and pick up a few ingredients instead.

This tropical shrimp ceviche will transport you to the beach.  I promise!  You will feel the sand between the toes and hear the sound of the waves crashing.  What are you waiting for? 

Breakfast for Dinner: Chorizo Chicken Sausage with Peppers and Eggs

Good evening!  Hungry?  Let's eat!  I was cleaning up the refrigerator today and came across a container of bell peppers that have been cored and fillet-ed (leftovers from a knife skills class I taught).  There was also half a jalapeno in the container.  To my surprise, the peppers were still fine. But to be on a safe side, I decided to cook the peppers for dinner.

What shall go with the peppers?  I had half a link of cooked chicken chorizo sausage, an onion,garlic, and eggs.  Breakfast for dinner!


Simple enough, you really don't need a recipe for this - I have faith in you!

Spanish Tapas: The Love Triangle - Dates, Manchego & Bacon

The adventure in Spanish Tapas continues.  I started a few posts ago with a recipe a recipe for Pork Meatballs with Piquillo Sauce.  These little meatballs (little only in size, big in flavor!) are also perfect serve as a second course, along a slice of potato tortilla (check back for a recipe in a week) or on top of angel hair pasta - you might want to double up the recipe for the Piquillo Sauce. 


Now that we have the meat covered, let's go to the beginning of the meal.  This is one of the most simple, quick and easy appetizers.  The four ingredients are a breeze to pick up at the store, yet the combination of flavors together will surprise you - it is beyond-words-decadent.  A word of advice - you might want to make a few extra for yourself - they will fly off the plate at your party!

Spanish Tapas: Spanish Pork Meatballs with Piquillo Pepper Sauce

I fell in love with Spanish tapas years before my trip to Spain.  My first taste was probably back in my Dallas days, with friends, on a Wednesday night, at Cafe Madrid.  We shared little plates of chorizo, olives, roasted peppers and much more.  Cafe Madrid served fantastic frozen Sangria to quench our first and lift our spirits.

Since then, I've tried tapas in every city I've visited and finally in Madrid when I went there with Olga and Radha to celebrate our birthday.

Tapas, as a concept has crossed over culinary borders to cuisines far beyond Spain.  And I welcome its sharing atmosphere!  I love passing the little plates, that most often than not, overcrowd the table, and keep on coming from the kitchen, perfectly hot, and ready.

I'll be sharing several of the recipes from the Spanish Tapas class I have taught at Whole Foods Market. 

Cream of Asparagus - Stone Soup Kitchen at Carnation Farmers Market

The farmers markets are literally sprouting everywhere these days.  Seasonal and local produce from the farm to your table in matter of minutes - what could be better?  You meet the farmers, pick up delicious produce, and enjoy the sun, if you are lucky.

The other day, I went to Carnation Farmers Market to represent Whole Foods Market and take part of the Chef Series at Stone Soup Kitchen.  It was still early in the season and asparagus was abundant, making the choice of which soup to make quite easy - Cream of Asparagus Soup.

I loved walking from one vendor booth to the next, picking up the necessities for the soup - asparagus, young onions, potatoes and scallions.  I also got freshly baked bread and Golden Glen butter.  The rest of the staples (stock, olive oil, heavy cream, salt and pepper) came from Whole Foods Market.