So we had the potato salad competition and got lots of great recipes but surprisingly, none that really matched my original, traditional with a twist, potato salad recipe that I know is good, because every time I serve it, people ask me for the recipe. So I made this for last Friday night, as we were going to the opening night at Tanglewood and this recipe has become sort of a tradition for that picnic dinner. Usually, it is also the one time of the year that I make buttermilk fried chicken. But this year, since it was just Steve and me, I made this new recipe in the most recent edition of Food and Wine Magazine. It’s a marinated roasted chicken that can be served at room temperature, with a chimichurri sauce. It was delicious! For one chicken, of course use 1/3 of the ingredients, except for the garlic in the chimichurri – I used 2 large cloves.I love Tanglewood, so I will make whatever it takes to do the outing. If this potato salad makes my husband happy, okay! (there’s my husband)

Here is this mayonnaise based recipe, with some different instructions on how to handle the potatoes, making sure you chill it ahead of time, and yet let it come close to room temperature before you serve it.

MIDWEST POTATO SALAD – serves 8
2 lbs. Yukon Gold or farmstand potatoes
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 stalk celery, mandoline sliced
3/4 cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise
1 dill pickle, minced
3 cornichons, minced
1 pickled hot cherry pepper, stem and seeds removed, minced
1 tbs. white wine vinegar
2 tsp. Colman’s dry mustard
1 tsp. French grey or Kosher salt
1 tsp. Hungarian sweet paprika
20 grinds black pepper
1 hard boiled egg, minced

Wash and scrub potatoes. Place in a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Salt the water with coarse sea salt and bring to a boil. Turn down heat to a simmer, partially cover and check in 20 minutes. This will take 20-30 minutes and the potatoes should be tender when tested with a skewer, but not fall apart. Drain in a colander until cool enough to handle. This will take some time so be patient. You do not want to cut warm potatoes as they will fall apart and you do not want to put this dressing on warm potatoes.

Combine all other ingredients into your dressing. Do not peel the potatoes, cut them into 3/4” pieces and place in a pretty bowl. Distribute all the dressing, carefully folding it over with a spatula until evenly distributed. Chill at least one hour before serving and take out at least 1/2 hour before your meal, so it’s not so cold. This tastes even better the next day.
Our plate! That’s a sugar snap pea salad with poblano peppers and a balsamic vinaigrette.

Our neighbors behind us had this beautiful salad with grilled peaches and chicken on her garden lettuce. I commented on how pretty it was. My new friend, Jan gave me a big taste. She was so sweet and she said I made her day. I think she made mine. Her salad dressing was so interesting – one whole grilled peach (skinned and pitted) with some grainy mustard and olive oil – puree it all in a food processor. It was delicious!! The sweetness of the peaches offset the vinegar in the mustard, which was really a nice combination. Thank you Jan! That’s a great idea.There’s Jan in the mint green shirt – and some of the Tanglewood audience behind us.

Just look at this cute loving couple in front of us. This is the Boston Symphony Orchestra playing an All-Tchaikovsky Program – Violin Concerto and Symphony No. 5 – Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, conductor, Joshua Bell, violin. It was magnificent!!