Granny's Potato Salad!

Weird, I know! Eggless Potato Salad!

Well, it IS potato salad, NOT egg salad!

Did she say eggless?

Let me immediately state: I love potato salad any way it can be made. Sweet Ole Bob and my son are not fond of eggs. My son will ONLY eat an egg if it is concealed during the preparation of a dessert.

Years ago I had to come up with a tasty, eggless potato salad that the entire family would eat. I had to use nontraditional yet palate teasing ingredients.


This is my recipe.

Three lbs small red potatoes (smaller the better)

1/2 cup mayonnaise  (Dukes only). It's a southern thing

1/2 cup low fat sour cream. Don't use no-fat

1 cup finely chopped fresh spring onions (reserve a few for garnish)

1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley 

2 - 3 tsp horseradish. More or less to taste. More is good for me

1 tsp celery seeds
Salt and pepper to taste

principle ingredients.

Finely chop onions and cilantro/parsley. Set aside. Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish and celery seeds. Add pepper and salt to taste. I do NOT add salt to anything. 

Fold the onions and cilantro into the sauce. Be sure to reserve a few onions for garnish. 

At this time I place the sauce in the refrigerator, giving the flavors time to meld. You may taste test at this time to make sure you have added enough horseradish. It is better if it has a little bite to it.

Chop those tiny red potatoes. Cook until just slightly tender (they will continue to cook after removed). Rinse, with cold water, drain and place potatoes in freezer for a few minutes (not absolutely necessary, just me). I work on something else for a while.
Today, while I was working on that something else, I looked up and spied"Kitty". That's her name.

You see, she hangs just above where I was working. She's there to make sure I keep things in proper prospective.
Kitty followed me home from one of our Hawaii trips.

Kitty reminds me that often I can be pulled in all directions. Do you ever feel that way? Kitty believes when that happens one should (cover those places you're being pulled) head to the beach. A cocktail, good book, good suntan lotion and a sunny day will fix anything. I personally turn off that cell phone.


By now, our potatoes should have cooled, and our sauce flavors have blended. 
Place one third of the potatoes in a bowl, cover with part of the sauce. Continue until you use all the potatoes and sauce. Garnish with the reserved onions and a little parsley. I didn't have cilantro this time and I wasn't going to the store. I like cilantro best but I wasn't about to pulled upon, today. 

I still can't believe she didn't use eggs! Whew!

I hope you like this variation of an old standard.

While you are trying this, I am going back to the beach!

Not many beach days left.

Before you start celebrating the holiday weekend, PLEASE leave a sweet message.

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Sunday Showcase
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"REAL" Southern Okra

At Least "My" Southern Okra!

Isn't all Okra southern?

Yeh, probably!

There are many universally accepted health foods.
  

photo by: Michal Marcol

There are plenty of blogs out there who are preparing health foods everyday. I use many of their recipes and they are not only healthy but very tasty and visually appealing.

Okra is in season for us right now.

Steamed okra is health food!

Fried okra is NOT a health food.

 This is Comfort Food! 

When we get home with our purchase of crisp, fresh okra we immediately prepare the first one or two meals as steamed okra. 

Choose the smallest and very tender pods. Clean the pods and snip off the very tip of the stem, leaving the top of the pod intact.

Place the pods in a steamer and cook til "crisp tender". Better undercooked than overcooked. 

Serve immediately with lemon and/or butter. Some serve as an appetizer with a dip. However at that point is ceases to be health food.

Sometimes we just want comfort food!

What's left of the batch or mess (as we in the south call it) of okra is fried. 

There is a method to frying okra to achieve that crisp, nutty flavor and not end up with greasy mush.

After washing, cut the okra in small round slices. In a ziplock bag or lidded plastic contain add about one-half cup of cornmeal, salt and pepper to taste. Place the okra in batches to the cornmeal and shake until all is coated. You have to add a little more cornmeal. Be stingy with the cornmeal. You don't wanted it in the bottom of the fry pan.

When all the okra has been coated place all the coated okra, in the covered container, in the refrigerator. Let stand fifteen minutes to all day.

Place an iron skillet on medium /high heat. Cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil. When the oil is hot place okra into pan in small batches. Just enough to cover the bottom of the skillet NO MORE! Reduce heat to medium/low. 

I could have put more in this pan.

Let brown slowly, I can walk away and do other things. Turn to brown on all sides. We like a, little past, golden brown as that increases the nutty like flavor.

Ah! That's looking good.

Remove browned okra to paper towels while you cook the next batch. Follow the same process, getting the olive oil hot then reducing to medium/low. For Bob and I, I cook in two small batches. When the family is here I have two pans going at once. 

If you follow these instructions, I promise that you will have a crispy, tasty and non mushy treat!!!

I have served this dish to people who had never tasted okra, people who had tasted okra and said NEVER again. They now love fried okra.

I am not recommending this everyday. Once, twice or three times a season is a special treat.

Here is our occasional comfort food treat!

Try it, you'll like it!!

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Foodie Friday

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