Hot Potato!

Potatoes were first introduced to Europeans by Spanish explorers from the New World in the 16th century. Not surprisingly, they were quickly integrated into local culinary cuisines. One of the most common uses of potatoes was to make potato salad. The Cassells Dictionary of Cookery, published in London around 1875, contains three recipes for potato salad: British, French, and German. The British and French recipes were very similar, served cold and dressed in a vinaigrette. The German version included bacon and was served hot. Incidentally, during both World Wars, recipes for German potato salad were simply called "hot potato salad."

Potato salad was introduced to the Americas by European settlers who quickly adapted their recipes to local ingredients. Originally, German style potato salads were more common; however, with the invention of bottled mayonnaise (see Kool sla, Kohlslau, Coleslaw!), mayonnaise-based potato salads have become the preferred version showing up at barbecues all across the country. I prefer a mayonnaise-based potato salad, but not one doused with yellow mustard, celery seed, rubbery bacon, and pickle relish. Instead, I prefer a more elegant version made with champagne vinegar, some sour cream to lighten it up a bit, and enhanced with onion, celery, hard-cooked eggs, and capers. Chopped chives, tarragon, dill, or parsley also make nice additions. This recipe for "Elegant Potato Salad" is just as good alongside any barbecue fair, but is sophisticated enough to serve with a perfectly grilled steak or salmon. Yum!

Elegant Potato Salad

Serves 8

Ingredients:

For the Dressing

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad

1/4 cup plain rice vinegar

Kosher salt

3 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, washed

3 hard-boiled eggs, diced (How do you make perfect hard-boiled eggs? See Techniques!)

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery

1 cup small-diced sweet onion

3 tablespoons capers, drained

Directions:

For the Dressing

Whisk all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to be used.

For the Salad

Stir together the rice vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl. Let sit to dissolve the salt. Place the potatoes and 2 tablespoons of salt in a 6-quart pot and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook the potatoes until barely tender when poked with a fork or skewer, 20-25 minutes. If the potatoes aren't all the same size, remove them as they are cooked.

Gently drain the potatoes and set aside until just cool enough to handle. Using a paring knife, peel the potatoes by scraping off the skin. Cut the potatoes into 3/4" chunks. Add the potatoes to the bowl with the vinegar and gently stir with a spatula to coat. With your fingers, pull apart any pieces that are stuck together.

When the potatoes have completely cooled, gently fold in the eggs, celery, onion, and capers. Fold in enough dressing to generously coat the potatoes (you may not need all the dressing). Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve at room temperature or chilled. 

Recipe from Fine Cooking.

Boy Bait

Want to make your man swoon? Barbecue him some ribs! I don't know a man around who doesn't go crazy for some good ribs! (It must be some innate caveman thing.) This recipe utilizes a basic dry rub of paprika, salt, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. The ribs are then smoked over a pan of water while maintaining a temperature between 300-350 degrees for about 3 hours. I know the temperature is higher than most "experts" would swear by, but it is exactly the way I make my Memphis-Style Spareribs and it has never let me down. I do brush these ribs with a little barbecue sauce (my favorite being Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet 'n Spicy) and wrap them in foil for the last 30 minutes. So ladies, push your man aside and make him the best ribs he's ever had! (Make sure you really like him, because he just might propose!) Coleslaw, potato salad, and grilled corn are obvious accompaniments.

Best Barbecue Ribs

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

For the Dry Rub

1/2 cup paprika

1/4 cup Kosher salt

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

For the Ribs 

4 lbs pork sparerib slabs, preferably St. Louis style cut, if possible

3-4 handfuls mesquite and cherry wood chips, soaked in water

Your favorite barbecue sauce

Directions:

Remove the membrane from the bone-side of the ribs by sliding a knife under the membrane at the edges and using a paper towel, pull the membrane off. Gross! Mix all the dry rub ingredients in a bowl, and pat it all over the spareribs, rubbing it in well. Place the ribs in a dish, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to 4 hours. Remove from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before barbecuing. (I also cut each slab in half to ensure they fit in my Weber grill.)

Prepare a charcoal grill for barbecuing over medium-low heat (300-350 degrees).

Place an aluminum drip pan half full of water in the center of the fire bed. Sprinkle some of the wood chips on the coals. Place the ribs on the grill rack over the drip pan.

Cover and grill and smoke the ribs, rotating them every 30 minutes or so (the ribs along the outside will cook faster, so it's good to rotate to the inside, etc.) and adding more wood chips, more coals, and more water to the drip pan as needed.

Continue to cover, grill, and smoke the ribs until they are tender and a toothpick can easily be inserted between the ribs, about 2 1/2-3 hours. Brush the ribs with a little barbecue sauce, stack, and wrap in foil for the last 1/2 hour.

To serve, cut the slabs into separate ribs and pile on top of a platter and serve proudly! With lots of napkins!

Add some Pep to your Cinco de Mayo!

It's no secret that I LOVE Mexican cuisine. However, this Cinco de Mayo will have a Texas twist with these Peppa Marinated Flank Steak Tacos! This is the easiest and tastiest recipe ever! When looking for your flank steaks, they should be thin, and sometimes if you're lucky, you can find them run through a cubing machine which makes the meat more tender. Also, these tacos have such wonderful flavor that salsa is not necessary, although I do drizzle a little of my beloved Cholula over the top!

To make a wonderful taquiza (taco party), serve with Drunken Pintos with Cilantro and Bacon (Frijoles Borrachos) and Elote Asado (Mexican Grilled Corn with Crema, Cheese, and Chili). Happy Cinco!

Peppa Marinated Flank Steak Tacos

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 flank steaks, totaling about 2 1/2 pounds

For the Peppa Marinade:

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup hot sauce

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

For serving the tacos:

Corn or flour tortillas

Chopped white onion and cilantro, mixed together in a small bowl

Your favorite hot sauce

Mashed avocado with salt and fresh lime juice, optional

Directions:

Place the steaks in a nonreactive pan. Combine the marinade ingredients and pour over the steaks. Cover the pan and refrigerate overnight, or at least three hours before cooking. Turn the steaks occasionally during the marinating.

Remove the steaks from the marinade, reserving the liquid in a small saucepan.

Grill the meat uncovered over hot, ashen-gray coals for 4 minutes a side, or until the steaks are done to your taste. Let the meat rest 10 minutes before slicing it thin, across the grain.

"Uncubed" flank steak

"Cubed"flank steak

Heat the tortillas on the grill and wrap in a towel or tortillero to keep warm. Meanwhile, bring the marinade liquid to a boil, allowing it to reduce by about a third, a matter of just a few minutes.

To assemble the tacos, place some of the sliced meat on a tortilla, spoon over a little of the reduced peppa sauce, top with some of the onion/cilantro mixture and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Texas Home Cooking, by Cheryl and Bill Jamison.