Make it a salad summer!

 

By popular request, (that’s right, two readers!), here is the potato salad recipe I mentioned last week. Thanks to longtime friend Sue Winter for this recipe.

Lemon Potato Salad

(Serves 8)

6 medium red potatoes

1 small onion diced

½ cup celery, diced

¼ to ½ cup parsley, finely chopped

Small jar of pimiento, optional (optional here means I leave it out)

Dressing:

2 tsp. fresh lemon zest

3-4 Tbsp. lemon juice

3-4 Tbsp. salad oil

1 Tbsp. salt (don’t skimp)

¼ tsp. pepper

Boil potatoes in skins until tender. While the potatoes are boiling, make the dressing. You want to have it ready when they are done.

Potatoes are done when a fork meets just a little resistance—you don’t want them so done they crumble. Drain. Peel and dice while still warm. Add onion and pour the sauce over the still-warm potatoes and onion. Stir to coat well. Add celery, parsley, and pimiento (if using). Chill before serving.

And here’s a salad I made recently. This should be eaten the day it’s served but note that you start it way ahead of time. This is a traditional Italian summer salad.

Panzanella, or bread salad

(serves four generously)

6-8 cups artisan bread, cubed

1 heirloom tomato chopped

¼ large English cucumber

½ medium yellow or red bell pepper

1 small red onion

Dressing:

½ cup olive oil

½ cup red wine vinegar

¼ tsp. salt

Pepper to taste

¼ cup fresh basil leaves, sliced into thin ribbons

Purists object, but you can also olives, mozzarella, capers, anchovies, tuna, parsley, boiled eggs, lemon juice, and garlic, according to your taste.

The night before serving or early in the morning because you want those bread cubes to sit out on a baking sheet so they will harden and get a bit stale. Unless the crust is unusually tough, leave it on.

Slice the onion and soak in cold water to soften the taste. Chop remaining vegetables. Whisk dressing ingredients together.

Mix vegetables and bread in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over and toss to combine thoroughly.

Let the salad sit at room temperature at least half an hour—longer is better—before serving. When ready to serve, stir in the basil.

The night I served panzanella, it was an accompaniment to turkey tonnato. Simply spread tonnato sauce on sliced roast turkey, about ¼ inch slices.

Tonnato sauce

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup good olive oil

1 6 oz. can tuna in olive oil (do not drain it)

2 anchovy filets

1 generous Tbsp. lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper

Mix ingredients together and slather on meat. Sprinkle with capers. This sauce is good on veal and pork as well as turkey. You could also serve it on roast vegetables, salad, even as a sandwich spread or a dip with crudities. Just be sure your guests like tuna and anchovies. It’s strong but addictive.

Happy summer eating.