Spring Potato Salad – This one’s for you mom!

Growing up, I shared in my mom’s joy of food adventure. Life was a party. My dad brought home the bounty — a steady stream of fresh fruits and vegetables from his second generation wholesale business — and my mom whipped up the most exciting and pleasurable meals imaginable. She enjoyed the challenges of deciphering exotic dishes and of sharing our table with family and friends.

My sister Julia became an expert cook before becoming a teenager, and more than a half century later, I finally took the plunge and became the family’s jittery cook. Even my brother Eric lives in the food world. He took over the family business in his twenties and became a superfood wholesaler in recent years — Earth Circle Organics. You heard of them? 

This Spring Potato Salad is dedicated to my mother’s kitchen, where magic occurred and meals hit the spot. Every day is a new day to celebrate life with those you love.

Spring Potato Salad

• 1 lb yellow-fleshed small potatoes, peeled, cut bite-size
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 c watercress leaves
• 1/3 c chopped dill
• 1/2 endive, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon, zested, 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 heaping tablespoon grainy mustard
• 1 t olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 radishes, thinly sliced, as garnish

In a medium-sized pot, place potatoes covered with salted water, bring to a boil, then simmer for about 7 minutes, until tender.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine celery, scallions, watercress, dill, endive and zest. Drain and dry potatoes, then add, still hot, on top of the greens. Add mustard, oil and lemon juice, then mix well to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Mix again and adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish with radish. Serve warm or cold. Serves 6.

Spring Potato Salad Print Ready Recipe

Final notes:

• Here’s a fabulous book you’re going to wish you wrote, Cooking With Grandmothers by Jessica Theroux.
• Looking for a cooking class that will knock your socks off? Try Appetite for Books.
• Watch the movie Chef for a moving story about a dad and his son bonding while prepping food.