# Breezy Red, White, & Blue Potato Salad



## BreezyCooking (Jul 2, 2010)

Just in time for Fourth of July!  Regardless of what we end up grilling, I always make a bowl of this.
 
Breezy Red, White, & Blue Potato Salad
(adapted from a recipe by Alton Brown)
Makes approximately 4 servings
 
One 1-pound bag of mixed fingerling or baby potatoes (I like the “Melissa’s” brand), or, if purchased separately, approx. 1/3-pound each of white/yellow, red, & purple/blue baby or fingerling potatoes
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
¾ cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon dry ground mustard
Approx. ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
Approx. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 garlic clove, peeled & minced
1 shallot “clove”, peeled & minced
6 Cornichon pickles, roughly chopped
1 small or ½ a large celery stalk, chopped
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
 
Wash potatoes, place in a pot with water to cover by a couple of inches, & bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer & cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a sharp knife – approx. 15 minutes.  Drain & set aside until cool enough to handle, then cut potatoes into bite-size pieces/slices.
 
In a bowl large enough to hold finished salad, combine all remaining ingredients well.  Gently fold in potatoes & serve immediately, or chill in the refrigerator as desired.


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## MostlyWater (Jul 2, 2010)

The potatoes are red and white, right ... so what is blue ?


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## BreezyCooking (Jul 2, 2010)

Take another look at the recipe.

The potatoes are red, white, and BLUE. An integral part of the recipe (first ingredient listed) is including some of the purple or blue potato varieties frequently at the markets these days. And "Melissa's", which supplies produce nationwide, puts out all 3 colors mixed together in convenient 1# bags.


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## MostlyWater (Jul 2, 2010)

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


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## kadesma (Jul 2, 2010)

Picked up some Breezy, my DH will be in hog heaven after I make your recipe. His favorite thing in the world is potato salad. This looks perfect for us.
kades


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## mollyanne (Jul 2, 2010)

Thank you, Breezy! I can't wait to make this. I always admire those fingerling potatoes...so interesting. I am definitely making this for the fourth. I never heard of cornichon pickles though. I might leave them out because I'm just not feeling that adventurous...the celery sounds like a good stand in instead.

I'll be serving it with grilled Bratwurst w/roasted onions&peppers&Dijon, Watermelon, and roasted Corn-on-the-Cob....and a Raspberry and Blackberry Pie with Vanilla IceCream. The potato salad will be perfect!


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## Wyogal (Jul 2, 2010)

yum, cornichons! tiny, very dilly... lots of "kapow" to them!


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## kadesma (Jul 2, 2010)

mollyanne said:


> Thank you, Breezy! I can't wait to make this. I always admire those fingerling potatoes...so interesting. I am definitely making this for the fourth. I never heard of cornichon pickles though. I might leave them out because I'm just not feeling that adventurous...the celery sounds like a good stand in instead.
> 
> I'll be serving it with grilled Bratwurst w/roasted onions&peppers&Dijon, Watermelon, and roasted Corn-on-the-Cob....and a Raspberry and Blackberry Pie with Vanilla IceCream. The potato salad will be perfect!


The pickles are in the same section as the sweets and dill, tiny and tasty they give the salad it's zip.
kades


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## mollyanne (Jul 2, 2010)

okay...I'll trust you on this one....sounds tasty. I'll look for them. Thank you.


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## Alix (Jul 3, 2010)

Mollyanne, you could just use any old dill pickles you already have. Just not sweet pickles.


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## mollyanne (Jul 3, 2010)

You caught me just before going to the store...thank you, alix .


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## BreezyCooking (Jul 3, 2010)

While you "could" definitely sub in dill pickles, the cornichons definitely do make a big difference here.

Not only are they firmer/crunchier in texture than regular dills, they are pickled in tarragon vinegar - not dill - which is what gives them their special flavor. In addition to salads, they're a traditional French accompaniment to sandwhiches & pates. 

Nearly all supermarkets carry them - either in the regular pickle section or in the gourmet food section. Worth searching out. And they last forever in the fridge!


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## Alix (Jul 3, 2010)

What Breezy said. I'm just a lazy butt so thought I'd spare you a trip if you were going specially.


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## mollyanne (Jul 3, 2010)

BreezyCooking said:


> ...cornichons definitely do make a big difference here. Not only are they firmer/crunchier in texture than regular dills, they are pickled in tarragon vinegar - not dill - which is what gives them their special flavor...Worth searching out. And they last forever in the fridge!


okay...now i just HAVE to have them! 
Who could resist that post, Breezy


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## mollyanne (Jul 3, 2010)

...uh oh...I have an urgent question and here it is 11:30pm...wake up everybody...i need some help. I've been growing terragon all summer but haven't yet used it until now. I'm right in the middle of making this potato salad...so far it's amazing...but I just went out to my garden in the dark, picked the terragon, washed it, smelled it, smelled like licorice so I tasted it, and......I could swear it tastes like anise....you know, licorice...does terragon taste like that to anyone? Did I get a plant from Lowes that had the wrong tag? I haven't put the "terragon" in yet...thought I'd ask you all first.


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## kadesma (Jul 3, 2010)

mollyanne said:


> ...uh oh...I have an urgent question and here it is 11:30pm...wake up everybody...i need some help. I've been growing terragon all summer but haven't yet used it until now. I'm right in the middle of making this potato salad...so far it's amazing...but I just went out to my garden in the dark, picked the terragon, washed it, smelled it, smelled like licorice so I tasted it, and......I could swear it tastes like anise....you know, licorice...does terragon taste like that to anyone? Did I get a plant from Lowes that had the wrong tag? I haven't put the "terragon" in yet...thought I'd ask you all first.


You got it right a mild licorice taste. I've avoided it for years and tasted it last summer and love it. Put it in at first use a little less, taste and add more if you like it. Bet you  will love it too.
kades


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## mollyanne (Jul 3, 2010)

BIG hug for you kades...thank you thank you thank you. I can breathe again. This recipe is a little labor intensive (for me anyway) and I'm right at the end here so I didn't want to blow it. The mayo sauce is delicious with everything in it except this last herb...even have the cornichon pickles in there. Okay...now I'm excited about using the terragon. Thanks again, kades


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## kadesma (Jul 3, 2010)

mollyanne said:


> BIG hug for you kades...thank you thank you thank you. I can breathe again. This recipe is a little labor intensive (for me anyway) and I'm right at the end here so I didn't want to blow it. The mayo sauce is delicious with everything in it except this last herb...even have the cornichon pickles in there. Okay...now I'm excited about using the terragon. Thanks again, kades


Welcome Mollyanne. I worked almost all afternoon on ours and frying chicken and I'm pooped. Have a safe and happy 4th.
kades


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## mollyanne (Jul 4, 2010)

omg breezy...it's Awesome with a capital A! I'm finally finished (including the cleanup). It's so colorful and is really red white and blue. Tsktsk...I had my doubts but I had no idea the blue potatoes were really blue inside...beautiful and bright. I thought it was just the skin that was blue. I tripled the recipe and chopped everything by hand (well, and a knife) so it took me a long time but was well worth it. Terragon was a new experience for me as well as the cornichon pickles. I loved them.

Happy Fourth to you too kades...and breezy to...and all of DC

.


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## BreezyCooking (Jul 4, 2010)

Thanks - I'm so glad you like it!  It really is festive looking, & I always try to whip some up for Memorial Day &/or the Fourth of July.  I think the tarragon - both the herb & in the cornichon pickles - gives it a zingy difference.

It's just hubby & I this Fourth, so I'll be making ours today since I didn't have to make a vat of it - lol!


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## Wyogal (Jul 4, 2010)

pictures, please!!!


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## Mimizkitchen (Jul 4, 2010)

mollyanne said:


> ...uh oh...I have an urgent question and here it is 11:30pm...wake up everybody...i need some help. I've been growing terragon all summer but haven't yet used it until now. I'm right in the middle of making this potato salad...so far it's amazing...but I just went out to my garden in the dark, picked the terragon, washed it, smelled it, smelled like licorice so I tasted it, and......I could swear it tastes like anise....you know, licorice...does terragon taste like that to anyone? Did I get a plant from Lowes that had the wrong tag? I haven't put the "terragon" in yet...thought I'd ask you all first.



 I can just picture you outside in your pink flip flops, in the dark, picking tarragon, thinking you grew black licorice instead... You crack me up... I'm so going to make this recipe, it sounds awesome... I think i'll add a little bacon to mine and hard boiled egg... Happy 4th Everyone...


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## mollyanne (Jul 4, 2010)

Wyogal said:


> pictures, please!!!


(haha mimiz...i Am a biT eCceNtric)

Here ya' go wyogal:
.


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## Mimizkitchen (Jul 4, 2010)

God Mollyanne that is a beauuuuuutiful potato salad, something I will be making very soon...


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## Wyogal (Jul 4, 2010)

Nice!


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## mollyanne (Jul 4, 2010)

I peeled the blue potatoes because the skin on them is kinda' drab compared to the insides. I also picked bags that had mostly blue potatoes in them and then I went to the sale bin of regular red potatoes (.99 per lb) and picked out the smallest ones...the red skins on those were brighter than the fingerling ones. But some of the fingerling ones had an interesting pink tone inside. (I tripled the recipe)

I wonder, if you put a little vinegar in the water when you boil the potatoes, if that might enhance the colors....kind of like the easter-egg-dying concept

.


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## kadesma (Jul 4, 2010)

mollyanne said:


> I peeled the blue potatoes because the skin on them is kinda' drab compared to the insides. I also picked bags that had mostly blue potatoes in them and then I went to the sale bin of regular red potatoes (.99 per lb) and picked out the smallest ones...the red skins on those were brighter than the fingerling ones. But some of the fingerling ones had an interesting pink tone inside. (I tripled the recipe)
> 
> I wonder, if you put a little vinegar in the water when you boil the potatoes, if that might enhance the colors....kind of like the easter-egg-dying concept
> 
> .


Have you tasted the blue potatos? they leave a mild sweet taste in your mouth. I just love them. Ethan  had some last night he was here with his dad helping Pa irrigate and little kids usually don't care for potato salad. This kid who says he's my taste tester, said Breezy ya did good
kades


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## Wyogal (Jul 4, 2010)

Personally, I think the bacon would overpower the tarragon in this recipe. I like bacon in potato salad, but not this one.


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## kadesma (Jul 4, 2010)

Wyogal said:


> Personally, I think the bacon would overpower the tarragon in this recipe. I like bacon in potato salad, but not this one.


Maybe pancetta would work but this is the best potato salad i've ever made So I wont mess with it, It stays as it is.
kades


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## Mimizkitchen (Jul 4, 2010)

Wyogal said:


> Personally, I think the bacon would overpower the tarragon in this recipe. I like bacon in potato salad, but not this one.





kadesma said:


> Maybe pancetta would work but this is the best potato salad i've ever mad. So I wont mess with it, It stays as it is.
> kades



OK my friends no bacon, no egg, I promise...


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