Kitchen Helpers from Amazon:

• EZ Off Jar Opener for Weak Hands 
• Pepper Core Remover Stainless Steel
• Kitchen Utensils – Set of 35
• Rachel Ray Non-Stick Cookware 12pcs

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If you haven’t just picked the corn out of the garden then choose bright green, full husks and look for silks that are moist and flowing. Pull back a corner of the husk and press a kernel with a fingernail—if the ear is ripe and perfect for eating there will be a squirt of white “milk.”

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Radish salad combines the crisp, juicy, mild flavor of the radish roots with the tender peppery flavor of young radish leaves—or use spinach, arugula, or leaf lettuce; all ready for the table just before summer.

Radish salad is one of my late spring fresh from the garden favorites. The end of spring—just as cool weather is coming to an end—is peak season for radishes.

A fresh herb garnish—choose from mint, fresh basil, flat-leafed parsley, dill, chervil, tarragon, or chives, whatever you have in the garden—will add a fun kick to this salad. Or sprinkle raisins on your radish salad—a nice combination of sweet and peppery.

Keep an eye on the weather; even a few days of hot temperatures can cause radishes to become pithy and unpleasantly hot.

Because radishes mature in just 3 to 4 weeks, you can easily fit them into your growing calendar and their small stature allows them to use space around or under longer-maturing crops. Radishes thrive in the shade of taller plants.

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This greens, orange, and beet salad delivers color and flavor.

Choose fresh seasonal greens—a mix of tender lettuces like Boston, oak leaf, red leaf, and butter or spinach—and match them with the sweet, earthy flavor of cooked beets and the refreshing sweet and sour balance of oranges. To these add the peppery snap of sliced radishes and the zing of a couple or raw onion slices.

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A refreshing, fruity balance of sour and sweet, apple slices are versatile—and widely matched for flavor.

Sweeter varieties such as Fuji and Gala are right for desserts—match them with cream, ice cream, and honey; tart varieties such as Braeburn and Granny Smith are suited to dark greens such as spinach and arugula and sharp cheeses.

Taste apple slices for their flavor notes—spicy like nutmeg and anise, dairy like butter and cream and cheese, and nutty (especially near the core) like almond. Tasting for flavor will help you match raw apples with suitable flavor partners.

Selecting apples for eating raw. A fully ripe apple will be heavy and firm with a vibrant color and fresh aroma. Heavier apples contain more moisture and are less likely to have a mealy texture; ripe apples will be vibrant red—yellow and green apples are best with a slight blush; a just ripe apple will smell fresh and rich—not overly fruity.

Best apples for eating raw:

• Red Delicious: crisp, juicy, and sweet flesh with a thin but tough skin.
• Fuji: crisp and sweet, a green-red fruit.
• Gala: sweet, orange-yellow fruit.
• Golden Delicious: not too sweet, not too tart, a golden yellow, freckled fruit.
• Granny Smith: brisk and tart and bright green fruit.
• McIntosh: very juicy and slightly tart red-green fruit.
• Jonathan: sweet, slightly acidic, vibrant red with yellow undertones.
• Pippin: crisp, slightly tart, large greenish-yellow with red blush.
• Braeburn: blends sweet and tart, red hue over a yellow skin.

Preparing apple slices. Rinse apples under cold running water. Cut apples in half then cut each half in half again and pare out the core. Slice each quarter to the thickness you desire. Once apples are cut the enzymes in the flesh will begin to oxidize and turn them brown. To keep apple slices from turning brown, place them in a lemon and water solution as you cut them (for every two cups of water, add two tablespoons of lemon.)

Serving apple slices in a salad. Serve apple slices raw with the flavor match you choose. To create an apple-slice based salad bind the apple slices and other ingredients with a tablespoon or two of mayonnaise or apple cider vinaigrette or yogurt—just enough to lightly coat the mix. Try this: thin apple slices with torn spinach leaves, chopped walnuts, and raisins lightly tossed with low-fat yogurt and a dab of honey.

Sliced apple flavor matches:

• apples + arugula
• apples + bananas
• apples + bacon
• apples + blueberries
• apples + cantaloupe
• apples + caramel
• apples + carrots
• apples + cheese – slivers of Brie or Camembert
• apples + hard cheese—a wedge of Cheddar or Stiltin
• apples + cinnamon
• apples + cottage cheese
• apples + granola
• apples + honey
• apples (tart) + horseradish
• apples (tart) + mangoes
• apples + maple syrup
• apples + oatmeal
• apples + pears
• apples + peanuts
• apples + oranges
• apples + peanut butter
• apples + pineapples
• apples + spinach
• apples + brown sugar
• apples + yogurt
• apples + almond butter + cinnamon
• apples + celery + walnuts (bind with a tablespoon of mayonnaise)
• apples + caramel+ slivered almonds
• apples + caramel + peanuts
• apples + caramel + pecans
• apples + cream + ginger
• apples + ginger + hazelnuts
• apples + kiwi slices + strawberries
• apples + apricots + pine nuts
• apples + raisins + rum
• apples + snow peas + apple cider vinaigrette
• apples + red cabbage + cinnamon
• apples + almonds + crème fraîche + raisins
• apples + brown sugar + creams + walnuts
• apples + caramel + pistachios + vanilla ice cream
• apples + cabbage + orange + pineapple

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Cucumbers are sweet except when they are a tad bitter.

Choose cucumbers for their sweetness and refreshing cleanness or for their green grassy astringency and crispness. Sometimes you don’t know which cucumber you will get until you bring it in from the garden and taste it.

Always cucumbers are cooling and refreshing—they are, after all, more than 90 percent water.

The best cucumbers are well-shaped, firm, and have a deep green color (unless you have a lemon cucumber). Garden cucumbers do not need to be peeled, but you can. (Cucumbers from the grocery may have been waxed to keep them fresh—you’ll want to skin them.)

Peel a cucumber with a paring knife or a vegetable slicer; to seed a cucumber, cut it lengthwise in half and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon.

Match bitter cucumbers with sour ingredients to knock back the bitterness—goat cheese, yogurt, dill, or vinegar, or add a pinch of sugar.

Sliced garden-fresh cucumbers are tasty on buttered bread—white, whole wheat, or rye cut almost paper thin. Dress sliced fresh cucumbers with sour cream or yogurt—just enough to coat them or serve sliced cucumbers with feta, olives, tomatoes, and onions.

Try these sliced cucumber flavor matches:

• cucumber + vinegar (balsamic, cider, red wine, rice wine, sherry, tarragon, white wine)
• cucumber + sea salt
• cucumber + sugar (a pinch)
• cucumber + chopped dill
• cucumber + chopped basil
• cucumber + sliced tomato
• cucumber + chopped cilantro
• cucumber + sour cream
• cucumber + melon (try Galia variety)
• cucumber + salmon
• cucumber + shrimp
• cucumber + sliced fennel
• cucumber + sliced onion or sliced scallions
• cucumber + dill + salmon
• cucumber +dill + yogurt
• cucumber + avocado + squeeze of lemon
• cucumber + goat cheese + parsley
• cucumbers + strawberries + cream cheese
• cucumber + mint + yogurt
• cucumber + mango + red onion
• cucumber + garlic + mint + yogurt
• cucumber + chile peppers + mint + yogurt
• cucumber + jalapeño + dill + onion
• cucumber + lemon + sesame oil + vinegar
• cucumber + chervil + salt +vinegar
• cucumber + rice vinegar + salt + pepper + basil
• cucumber +cider vinegar + salt + pepper + scallions
• cucumber + cilantro + ginger + sugar + rice vinegar
• cucumber + dill + red onion + sour cream + vinegar
• cucumber + rice wine vinegar + garlic + red bell pepper + carrot
• cucumber + red onion + plain yogurt + dill + white wine vinegar + sugar
• cucumber + feta cheese + garlic + mint + olive oil +oregano + red wine vinegar
• cucumber + feta cheese + garlic + mint + olive oil + oregano + red wine vinegar

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The difference between an average green salad and a great green salad is the choice of greens, the flavors you match with the greens, and the dressing.

Start a green salad with two or three greens—choose varying flavors and textures. Next combine or toss the greens with flavor affinities—foods and seasonings that bring out the green’s best flavor characteristics or serve as a tasty counterpoint. Finally, add a dressing that will subtly complement and blend the flavors.

Garden greens have different personalities. Here are some suggestions for combining greens, adding flavor affinities–both good and great flavor matches, and dressings well suited for each kind of green; all with no recipes:

Arugula:

Also called rocket. Arugula has tender, dark green, elongated, indented, and coarsely textured leaves. It has a pungent, sometimes bitter, peppery flavor. Small leaves are the mildest flavored. Use arugula in combination with other greens—good choices are Boston or Bibb lettuce, endive, and radicchio. Arugula adds zest. Serve arugula alone with an olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing.

• Combine with: Boston or Bibb lettuce, endive, or radicchio.
• Great flavor matches: goat cheese Parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar.
• Good flavor matches: almonds, basil, white beans, red bell peppers, chicken, cilantro, clams, corn, cucumbers, dill, hard-boiled egg, fennel, grapes, lovage, mint, mushrooms, nuts, black olives, blood oranges, pancetta, parsley, pasta, pears, pesto, pine nuts, potatoes, prosciutto, radishes, shallots, shrimp, tuna, watercress.
• Try these: (1) arugula + balsamic vinegar + lemon juice + olive oil + Parmesan cheese; (2) arugula + cucumber + feta cheese + mint; (3) arugula + endive + radicchio; (4) arugula + pears + prosciutto.

Belgian endive:

Also called chicory. Belgian endive has small, whitish, yellow-edged and elongated leaves that form a tight head. Use leaves whole, shredded, or cut into julienne strips or rings. Bitter-flavored, crunchy leaves are tasty separated and served with sweet fruit such as oranges or figs or sweet-flavored vegetable such as chopped beets.

• Combine with: Boston lettuce, Bibb lettuce, watercress, arugula, or radicchio.
• Great flavor matches: Gruyère cheese, prosciutto.
• Good flavor matches: apples, bacon, cilantro, cumin, figs, smoked fish, garlic, Serrano ham, lemon, poultry, nuts, olive oil, parsley, smoked salmon, watercress.
• Try these dressings: mayonnaise, cream dressing, walnut vinaigrette and Roquefort cheese, citrus vinaigrette, mustard vinaigrette.

Bibb lettuce:

Bibb lettuce is a small tender butter head variety lettuce with very soft, tender green leaves that have a buttery texture and subtle sweet flavor. Bibb lettuce leaves are smaller and darker than Boston lettuce leaves. Small leaves should be served whole.

• Combine with: Boston, romaine, and loose-leaf lettuces, Belgian endive, watercress, spinach, arugula, radicchio, or sorrel.
• Great flavor matches: lemons, oranges, shallots.
• Good flavor matches: avocados, basil, chervil, chives, cucumbers, fines herbes, parsley, black pepper, radishes, sesame seeds, tarragon, yogurt.
• Try these dressings: Light, lemony mayonnaise, or white wine or citrus vinaigrette. Use a creamy dressing to mimic the light, delicate, creamy flavor and texture of Bibb lettuce.

Boston lettuce:

Boston lettuce is a buttery flavored, tender, pale-green loose-leaved head lettuce. Larger and paler leafed than Bibb lettuce. Both Boston and Bibb are butter head varieties.

• Combine with: Bibb or loose-leaf lettuces, endive, spinach, or watercress.
• Great flavor matches: lemons, oranges, shallots.
• Good flavor matches: avocados, basil, chervil, chives, cucumbers, fines herbes, parsley, black pepper, radishes, sesame seeds, tarragon, yogurt.
• Try these dressings: Orange juice and olive oil vinaigrette, flavored with tarragon; white wine vinaigrette; or buttermilk dressing.

Cress and garden cress:

There are many varieties of cress. Most have small dark greens leaves similar in size and shape to radish leaves. Cresses can vary from delicate, slightly peppery flavor to zesty, hot pepper flavor. Use cress to perk up a green salad or use cress in a tomato salad dressed with olive oil and tarragon vinegar.

• Combine with: any mild greens; adds zest to Bibb, romaine, and loose-leaf lettuces, and spinach. Cress is a flavor accent; dress with a dressing suited to the main green.

Curly Endive:

Curly endive has curly, frizzy-textured, dark green leaves and a slightly bitter flavor. Use curly endive mixed with milder salad leaves to add a pleasant bite.

• Combine with: red oak leaf lettuce, red lettuce, endive.
• Great flavor matches: bacon, blue cheese, goat cheese, Parmesan cheese, Roquefort cheese, garlic, olive oil, orange juice, black pepper, white wine vinegar, walnuts.
• Good flavor matches: almonds, anchovies, avocado, basil, bell peppers, beets, dried cherries, chervil, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, poached eggs, grapefruit, lemon juice, lime juice, white mushrooms, Dijon mustard, olives, red onions, flat-leaf parsley, scallops, shallots, tangerines, tarragon, tomatoes.
• Dressing: Try dressing with vinaigrette.

Dandelion:

The dandelion has bright green jagged-edged leaves with a slightly bitter, tangy flavor. Young, pale leaves are most tender and least bitter flavored. Leaves become more pungent as they darken.

• Combine with: Bibb lettuce, Boston lettuce, or loose-leaf lettuce.
• Good flavor matches: anchovies, bacon, garlic, Dijon mustard, peanut oil, onions, ground pepper, salt.
• Dressing: Try dressing with warm, garlicky vinaigrette or white wine vinegar and olive oil.

Escarole:

Escarole is a rather coarse-leafed, slightly bitter green. Preferably use only the tender green-yellow leaves for salads. Use outer leaves in soups. Escarole has green leaves with pale yellowish-white heart (broader-leaved that chicory); look for crisp light-colored leaves.

• Combine with: best alone or as an accent to another green.
• Great flavor matches: cheese, garlic, olive oil, black and white pepper, salt.
• Good flavor matches: almonds, anchovies, beans, beef, butter, dried chile peppers, cumin, fish, hazelnuts, lemon, black olives, onions, parsley, pork, poultry, shallots, chicken stock, tomatoes, red wine vinegar.
• Dressing: Try dressing with garlic, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil or warm bacon and red wine vinaigrette.
• Try these: (1) escarole + apples + Cheddar cheese; (2) escarole + olive oil + shallots.

Frisée:

Frisée has yellowish-pale green slender and curly-frilly leaves. It is the sweetest of the chicory family, just mildly bitter.

• Combine with: arugula, baby oak leaf lettuce.
• Great flavor matches: bacon, blue cheese, goat cheese, Parmesan cheese, Roquefort cheese, garlic, olive oil, orange juice, black pepper, white wine vinegar, walnuts.
• Good flavor matches: almonds, anchovies, avocado, basil, bell peppers, beets, dried cherries, chervil, chives, cilantro, cucumbers, poached eggs, grapefruit, lemon juice, lime juice, white mushrooms, Dijon mustard, olives, red onions, flat-leaf parsley, scallops, shallots, tangerines, tarragon, tomatoes.
• Dressing: Try dressing with vinaigrette, walnut vinaigrette, or raspberry vinaigrette.

Iceberg lettuce:

Iceberg is a crisphead lettuce with a compact spherical head of pale green leaves becoming whitish-yellow towards the center. Iceberg lettuce adds a cool, crisp texture to mixed green salads and mild flavor.

• Combine with: most other greens or serve in wedges.
• Dressing: Try dressing with Russian, Roquefort, or French dressing.

Loose leaf lettuce:

Leaf lettuce has loose leaves that do not form a head but branch from the stalk, includes green, red, and coppery brown varieties called salad bowl, oak leaf, and ruby; often curly and fringed leaves with delicate, sweet flavor. Use loose leaf lettuces very young and within a few days of harvest for best flavor and to avoid spoiling.

• Combine with: Combine mild-flavored loose leaf lettuce with  more robust watercress, arugula, radicchio, fennel, or sorrel.
• Great flavor matches: olive oil, black pepper, salt.
• Good flavor matches: apples, bacon, basil, bread, feta cheese, hard-boiled eggs, garlic, lemon juice, mint, mushrooms, Dijon mustard, nuts, olives, orange, parsley, peaches, pears, raisins, shallots, sprouts, tarragon, raw vegetables.
• Dressing: Try dressing with red, white, or cider vinaigrette, or balsamic vinegar.

Mâche:

Mâche is also called corn salad, filed salad, and lamb’s lettuce. Small, cup-shaped, tender, dark green leaves with a delicate slightly nutty flavor, sometimes tangy.

• Combine with: blander green or Belgian endive, or serve alone.
• Great flavor matches: apples, beets, lemon juice, walnuts.
• Good flavor matches: bacon, butter cream, Dijon mustard, pistachio nuts, orange, pomegranates, potatoes, scallops, shallots.
• Dressing: Try dressing with raspberry, walnut, or citrus vinaigrette.
• Try these: (1) mâche + apples + bacon; (2) mâche + apples + bacon + vinegar; (3) mâche + oranges + pistachios + pomegranates.

Mesclun:

Mesclun is a mixture of a half-dozen or more wild and cultivated greens, herbs, and edible flowers, any mixture that can be eaten raw as a salad especially baby greens. There is no standard mesclun mixture but the flavor will vary from sweet and delicate to spicy and bitter. Mixes can include baby red romaine, endive mâche, oak leaf, radicchio, arugula, young chard, beet greens, and herbs such as dill, parsley, fennel, and chervil.

• Good flavor matches: basil, goat cheese, chervil, chives, hazelnuts, lemon juice, olive oil, flat-leaf parsley, pecan, black peppers, salt, shallots, tarragon.
• Dressing: Try dressing with light wine vinegar and a nut or olive oil, or vinaigrette.
• Try this: mesclun greens + goat cheese + hazelnuts.

Radicchio:

Radicchio has brilliant, ruby colored leaves with striking cream ribs in a small, tight head. Peppery near bitter-tasting flavor combines well with sweeter tasting greens.

• Combine with: Boston lettuce, loose-leaf lettuces, spinach, Belgian endive, curly endive, or arugula.
• Great flavor matches: Gorgonzola cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, red onions, black pepper, prosciutto.
• Good flavor matches. Anchovies, apples, bacon, white beans, capers, roasted chicken, chives, hard-boiled eggs, fennel, figs, fish, horseradish, lamb, lime juice, lobster, orange juice, pancetta, flat-leaf parsley, pasta, pears, pecans, pine nuts, pizza, pork, poultry, risotto, rosemary, salami, grilled seafood, shallots, shrimp, walnuts.
• Dressing: Try dressing with walnut vinaigrette, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar.
• Try these: (1) radicchio + arugula + endive; (2) radicchio + Asiago cheese + olive oil + balsamic vinegar; (3) radicchio + fennel + prosciutto; (4) radicchio + Gorgonzola cheese + pears; (5) radicchio + hard boiled eggs + olive oil + prosciutto + sherry vinegar + walnuts.

Romaine or Cos lettuce:

Romaine lettuce (also called cos lettuce) has an elongated head lettuce with long, crisp leaves shading from bright green to yellow. Excellent for succulent, crisp texture and subtle nutty flavor with a slight tang.

• Combine with: Bibb lettuce, spinach, arugula, watercress
• Great flavor matches: anchovies, avocados, Parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil, black pepper, shallots.
• Good flavor matches: green and red bell peppers, capers, cayenne, chervil, chile peppers, chives, cilantro, cream, cucumbers, grapefruit, ham, leeks, lime juice, lovage, mayonnaise, kalamata olives, red onions, flat-leaf parsley, sour cream, chicken stock, tarragon, tomatoes, walnuts,
• Dressing: Dressing with garlicky, anchovy, or red wine vinaigrette; olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
• Try these: (1) romaine + creamy garlic dressing + red onions + capers + parmesan; (2) heart of romaine + radicchio + Serrano ham + roasted pepper + white anchovies + crisp capers; (3) romaine + anchovies + Parmesan cheese; (4) romaine + capers + garlic + Parmesan cheese + red onions.

Spinach:

Spinach has dark green, spear-shaped leaves curled or smooth. Leaves have a slightly bitter flavor.

• Combine with: Serve alone or with sorrel.
• Great flavor matches: anchovies, bacon, feta cheese, goat cheese, Parmesan cheese, dill, hard-boiled eggs, garlic, lemon juice, shiitake mushrooms, Dijon mustard, olive oil, sweet onions, black peppers, pine nuts, potatoes raisins, shallots, sorrel, soy sauce, sugar, walnuts.
• Good flavor matches: almonds, apples, basil, chard, chicken, chickpeas, chives, crab, cream cheese, curry, fennel, lentils, marjoram, mint, mustard seeds, pancetta, parsley, pasta, pecans, presto, prosciutto, quince, scallions, shrimp smoked salmon, sour cream, thyme, tomatoes, tuna, yogurt.
• Dressing: Try dressing with vinaigrette, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar.
• Try these: (1) spinach + bacon +garlic + onions, + cider vinegar; (2) spinach + bacon + walnuts; (3) spinach + fennel + Parmesan cheese + Portobello mushrooms + balsamic vinegar; (4) spinach + feta cheese + lemon juice + oregano; (5) spinach + garlic + mushrooms.

Watercress:

Watercress has crisp, bright green, glossy leaves with a refreshing bite and is usually mixed with other greens in salads. Wilts quickly when dressed.

• Combine with: Romaine, Boston, or loose-leaf lettuces or Belgian endive, radicchio.
• Great flavor matches: Blue cheese goat cheese, pecorino cheese, cucumbers, endive, leeks, olive oil, onions, flat-leaf parsley, potatoes.
• Good flavor matches: almonds, apples, asparagus, bacon, bean sprouts, beets, red bell peppers, buttermilk, chervil, chicken, chives, cilantro, eggs, fennel, fish, garlic, ginger, lamb, lemon juice, lime juice, mint, mushrooms mustard, orange, oyster, pears, peas, salmon, scallions, scallops, shallots, shrimp, smoked salmon, sorrel, tarragon, tomatoes, veal, walnuts , yogurt.
• Dressing: Try dressing with shallot vinaigrette or walnut vinaigrette.
• Try these: (1) watercress + almonds + green apple + pecorino cheese; (2) watercress + bacon + cream; (3) watercress + endive + Roquefort chest + walnuts.

Preparing Greens to Serve:

• Choose greens that look fresh. Taste to make sure. Pass on wilted, limp or browned greens.
• Remove stems from small-leafed greens, but leave the leaves whole.
• Trim large-leaf greens such as romaine lettuce by tearing along the central rib. Tear leaves don’t chop them.
• Place greens into a salad spinner or colander inside a large pot. Fill the container with water and swirl the greens around. Lift colander or spinner out of the water; repeat until the water has no trace of soil or sand. Spin the greens dry or dry them with a towel. Make sure all greens are completely dry.
• Wait to dress a tossed green salad until just before serving, otherwise the salad may become soggy.
• Serve tossed green salads on chilled plates.
• Add just enough dressing to lightly coat each leaf; more will subdue the flavor of the greens. If you add too much dressing, toss in additional greens to save the salad.

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Potato salad is a summer classic—but it’s also a spring and fall and winter classic.

Some like it moist and creamy. Some like it dry and crumbly. Some like it dressed in egg-rich mayonnaise. Some like it dressed in oil and vinegar. Some like it with sweet relish and a dash of sugar. Some like it sour with dill pickles and green olives.

There are many ways to make potato salad but always it can be flavorful and reflect the season.

Five basic steps to make flavorful, seasonal potato salad:

Step One: Cook potatoes. Scrub the potatoes well. Bring a medium pot or a large kettle of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Use enough water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Add a dash or two of coarse salt. Cook the potatoes whole or cut in their skins, or peel them if you like. Bring the boil down to a simmer then cook until the potatoes are nearly tender but still firm in the center–there should be little or no resistance when poked with a small sharp knife, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir once or twice for even cooking. Avoid overcooking the potatoes.

Step Two: Prepare marinade. While the potatoes are cooking prepare a marinade. See suggestions of several oil and vinegar marinades below.

Step Three: Cut potatoes. Once the potatoes are cooked tender, drain them in a colander. Leave them in the colander or spread them out on a sheet pan until cool enough to handle. Then cut them into cubes, slices, or bite-size pieces and place them in a work bowl. Use a serrated knife if they have skins to avoid tearing the skins.

Step Four: Marinade potatoes. While the potatoes are still warm, drizzle the freshly made marinade over them and mix carefully until each slice is coated. Combine the potatoes carefully with the marinade until they are coated. Avoid breaking, mashing, or crushing the potato slices as you mix. Let the potatoes cool and marinade for up to two hours for best flavor. After that, place them in the refrigerator until you are ready to move on to the next step or serve.

You do not have to marinade the potatoes, but marinating infuses flavor into them. It is best to marinade the potatoes while still warm; chilled potatoes will never achieve the fullness of flavor. If any of the marinade has not been absorbed by the potatoes when you are ready to move to the next step drain it off.

Step Five: Add dressing and seasonal flavoring. After marinading and before serving add mayonnaise or other dressing along with seasonal vegetables and flavorings, cooked meats, fish, or seafood to the potatoes. Mix gently until evenly blended. Seasonal flavoring combinations are almost limitless—no two potato salads will ever taste the same again, but they will all be imaginative and flavorful.

Basic ingredients for potato salad:

Potatoes for potato salad: Waxy potatoes with high moisture, high sugar, and low starch content are firm and hold their shape after cooking much more so than low moisture, starchy potatoes do. Waxy potatoes include small and large red-, white-, and yellow-skinned potatoes, and purple- and blue-skinned potatoes. Red Bliss, Peruvian blues, Yellow Finn, Yukon Gold, red creamers, and German fingerlings are waxy potato varieties well-suited for potato salad.

Russet potatoes are starchy and mealier than waxy potatoes, but some potato salad lovers prefer them because they make a creamier potato salad.

Cook potatoes—boiling is most common–whole, halved, or diced without peeling as long as the skins on the potatoes look fresh. Cook until they are just tender when pierced with a sharp knife. If you peel potatoes before cooking, steam them in a vegetable steamer until they are tender but still firm. If you boil peeled potatoes, be careful not to overcook them to mush.

If you plan to leave the skins on the potatoes when serving—colorful if the skins are red, purple, or blue–use a serrated knife to cube or dice them so as not to tear the skins.

How many potatoes: One and a half pounds of potatoes will make 4 servings of potato salad. Three pounds of potatoes will make 6 to 8 servings. About three medium potatoes make a pound. Eight to ten small new potatoes make a pound.

Marinade for potato salad:

Marinating potatoes just as they have slightly cooled after cooking will make for the most flavorful potato salad. The potatoes should be sliced or diced or cut into cubes or bite-sized pieces and placed in a large bowl then dressed with the marinade; vinegar or oil and vinegar marinades are very well suited for potato salad.

Here are a few flavorful marinades (enough to marinade 3 pounds of potatoes):

• Basic vinaigrette: Crush 1 clove minced garlic, add ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, add tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, add 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, and whisk in ⅓ to ½ cup olive oil.
• Simple vinaigrette: Whisk ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
• Mustard vinaigrette: Whisk ¼ cup Dijon mustard, ¼ cup grainy mustard, ½ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic, sherry or other flavorful vinegar; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves or parsley.
• Apple cider vinaigrette: Whisk  ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1½ teaspoons dry mustard, salt and pepper.
• Bacon vinaigrette: Whisk 2 teaspoons of bacon drippings with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, ¼ cup of chicken stock, 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoons whole-grain Dijon mustard, and salt and black pepper to taste.
• Chicken stock vinaigrette: Combine 1½ cup chicken stock and 6 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and season to taste with extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper.
• Herb and scallion vinaigrette: Whisk together ¼ cup olive oil, chopped fresh-picked herbs and chopped scallions.

Dressings for potato salad:

Add dressing to coat the potatoes evenly; add more to make the salad creamy.

• Mayonnaise (add until the mixture is as creamy as you like) tossed with chopped flat-leaf parsley and chopped onion and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Fat-free mayonnaise mixed with a bit of curry and honey for flavor, color, and sweetness.
• Plain nonfat yogurt mixed with Dijon mustard.
• Mayonnaise mixed with Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard and salt and pepper to taste.
• Pesto and mayonnaise stirred until well combined.
• Mayonnaise, oil, and vinegar: whisk ⅓ mayonnaise and 2/3 oil and vinegar
• Dressing with vinaigrette only: When the potatoes are tender, put them in a medium bowl, drizzle with half the vinaigrette and toss very gently. Let rest for at least 30 minutes so that the potatoes can absorb the dressing. To finish the salad, toss the potatoes with the remaining vinaigrette, salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with chopped parsley and chives.

Seasonal flavorings for potato salad:

Fold and mix gently seasonal flavoring into potato salad for even more flavor. Do this when you are mixing in the dressing.

Choose and mix seasonal flavorings to taste. As a guide, the ratio of one-third as much seasonal vegetable or other solid flavoring or combination of seasonal flavorings to potatoes is helpful: for example, to three cups of potatoes add one-cup of sliced celery or the combination of chopped celery and chopped celery leaves; sprinkle in additionally chopped onion and chopped mint leaves to taste.

Summer flavorings:

• Cored and seeded red or green bell peppers minced, fresh or roasted
• Cored, seeded, and minced cayenne or jalapeno or other chili peppers
• Cucumbers sliced paper thin or cubed
• Celery chopped or sliced thin in half-moons
• Green beans quartered
• Chopped dill or lovage
• Chopped cilantro
• Minced garlic
• Yellow, gold, orange, or red cherry tomatoes quartered or halved and seeded (add just a few minutes before serving)
• Minced fresh flat leaf parsley
• Finely minced fresh tarragon

 Spring flavorings:

• Chopped shallots raw or lightly sautéed in olive oil
• Minced fresh herbs to taste
• Cooked fresh peas
• Carrots cubed or cut into julienne strips and steamed
• Spring onions chopped or sliced
• Asparagus tips cut into 1 inch pieces
• Thinning of carrots, turnips, and radishes
• Sliced purple or savoy cabbage
• Sliced or diced cauliflower or broccoli

Fall, winter, and all-seasons flavorings:

• Minced anchovies
• All-purpose curry powder or other spice mixture
• Soaked, drained, and chopped capers
• Chopped sweet or dill pickles
• Green olives, diced or quartered
• Black olives, diced or quartered
• Salami, finely chopped
• Bacon fried crisp and crumbled
• Sautéed sausage sliced on the diagonal
• Roast chicken diced
• Parmesan cheese grated
• Romano cheese grated
• Low-fat ricotta cheese
• Minced hard-cooked egg cut into ½-inch cubes or ¼-inch slices

European and German potato salad–served hot:

Potato salad served hot or warm is a European tradition. Here are two options:

• Combine 1½ cup white beef stock and 6 tablespoons of red wine vinegar and season to taste with 1 or 2 tablespoons of bacon fat and kosher salt, black pepper, mustard, and sugar to taste. Pour the hot dressing over the warm potato slices and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

• Peel, cut, and place potatoes in a large work bowl. Sauté 4 or 6 pieces of bacon cut into small pieces; spoon off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat from skillet. Sauté additional aromatic vegetables such as onions or garlic. Stir in 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons sugar and salt and pepper to taste and blend. Stir in 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar and ½ cup of water and stir until it slightly thickens and is boiling. Gently drizzle and stir this hot dressing over the potatoes.

Serving option—stacked potato salad:

Rather than combining potatoes with dressing, arrange the potatoes on a platter or in a shallow bowl; slice hard-cooked eggs and intersperse or layer them with the potatoes; ladle the dressing over all and garnish with fresh chopped celery, scallions, or dill or other fresh chopped herb.

The post How to Make Seasonal and Flavorful Potato Salad appeared first on Harvest to Table.

Simply put coleslaw is a salad made from shredded cabbage and along with other chopped or shredded vegetables bound with mayonnaise, vinaigrette, or other dressing and sometimes flavored with herbs or fruit.

The word coleslaw comes from two Dutch words: kool meaning cabbage and sla an abbreviation for salad—koolsla. Coleslaw is sometimes called “cold slaw”—which is likely a misunderstanding, but aptly describes how this cabbage salad is served—cold (except when it’s served hot as “hot slaw”—which is another story).

There are many variations on the ingredients of coleslaw—two common denominators are cabbage and the dressing to bind the ingredients.

How to Make Coleslaw Without a Recipe:

To make coleslaw without a recipe, you must first decide on what vegetables (or fruits) to combine with the cabbage and then, secondly, on the dressing. These decisions are wholly a matter of flavor and taste. Coleslaw can be sweet and fruity or tart and tangy.

Cabbage yield/servings. A one-pound head of cabbage will yield 4 to 5 cups when shredded or thinly sliced. A two-pound head cabbage will yield 9 to 10 cups when thinly sliced; a three-pound cabbage, 14 to 16 cups. A pound of cabbage will serve three people—that is three servings. If you combine the cabbage with other vegetables or fruits—also shredded or sliced, you will need less cabbage. The basic solid ingredient yield is 4 to 5 cups shredded cabbage or other vegetable will serve three generously.

Cabbage preparation. To prepare the cabbage—use green cabbage, red cabbage, savoy cabbage, napa cabbage, or a combination of these—tear off and discard tough outer leaves, cut the head into quarters, remove the core, turn the cut side down, and slice crosswise into thin shreds with a sharp knife or you can shave the cabbage into fine slices using a cabbage cutter. Place the cabbage in a large bowl until you are ready to add the other ingredients. (You can allow the cabbage to wilt after shredding—about 1 hour.)

For a more savory coleslaw, salt the shredded cabbage then let it dry for an hour, rinse, drain, then dry; this draws the water out of the cabbage and its sweet fruitness is replaced by a more complex, savory flavor.

Add other vegetables and fruits for flavor and color. Cabbage is the main ingredient of coleslaw, but other vegetables can be added for flavor, aroma, and color. The additions may vary from half as much to a third, quarter, fifth, or less of the cabbage used. Here are some fresh vegetable and fruit suggestions for coleslaw and the flavor qualities they bring:

• Red cabbage--for its pungent, peppery qualities and color.
• Carrots shredded (1 medium carrot shredded is about 1 cup)—for sweet flavor, crunch, and color.
• Celery coarsely chopped (1 medium to large stalk chopped is about 1 cup)—for crispness and flavor.
• Radishes coarsely grated (9 large radishes grated is about 1 cup)—for peppery flavor, crunch, and color.
• White or red onion sliced or small diced as thin as possible—for pungent sweetness and red for color.
• Scallions or spring onions sliced—for sweet and pungent flavor.
• Bell pepper—green or red—sliced—for sweet flavor and color.
• Jalapeno or Serrano peppers—seeds and stems removed—thin sliced—for moderately hot, green vegetal flavor.
• Cauliflower thinly sliced—for sweet, slightly nutty flavor.
• Celery root (celeriac) cut into matchstick julienne—for a pronounced celery taste.
• Kohlrabi cut into matchstick julienne—for peppery freshness.
• Cucumber chopped—for a pleasant fresh flavor and crunch.
• Pear cored and coarsely chopped (1 medium pear is about 1 cup chopped)—for sweetness; use red pears for color.
• Apple cored and coarsely chopped (1 medium apple is about 1 cup chopped)—for sweet or tart flavor; use reds for color.
• Orange or mandarin sectioned–for sweetness and color.
• Pineapple—for sweet-tart flavor.
• Raspberries—for sweet, slightly acidic flavor and color—black, golden, or red.
• Blueberries—for sweet flavor, color, and crunch.
• Seedless raisins—for sweet flavor and chewiness.
• Italian parsley chopped—for slightly peppery, tangy fresh flavor.
• Watercress—for a pungent, peppery, slightly bitter flavor.

Dressing coleslaw for flavor and to bind the ingredients:

Use mayonnaise, vinaigrette, or other dressing to bind coleslaw. The dressing should just coat the cabbage and other ingredients.

Mayonnaise dressing. Mayonnaise dressing is a cold, thick, creamy sauce basically composed of egg, oil, and vinegar (acid), to that spices are added for piquancy. You can simply buy mayonnaise or you can make mayonnaise (To yield 1 cup: 1 teaspoon egg yolk, a tablespoon of water, and 10 ounces of vegetable oil—adding additional spices or aromatics for seasoning is variable—whisk the yolk, drizzle in oil while whisking until the mixture is thick enough to cling to the whisk—not more. The aromatics include the acids such as lemon juice, vinegar, wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, cider, or orange juice.)

Vinaigrette dressing. Vinaigrette dressing is a temporary emulsion (meaning shake to use) of oil and vinegar–usually three parts oil to one part vinegar–seasoned with herbs, spices, salt and pepper. Again, you can simply buy vinaigrette or you can make vinaigrette. (Olive oil is a peerless choice for vinaigrette; use red or white wine vinegar or lemon juice or sharp vinegar.) For coleslaw, cream can be substituted for the oil combined with sharp vinegar. Shake the mix in a covered jar.

Seasonings. To either mayonnaise or vinaigrette, seasonings and flavorings can be added: salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, minced garlic, mustard, honey, sugar, ginger peeled and finely chopped, yogurt, sour cream, creme fraiche, and whipped cream are a few.

Dressing ratio to solids: You will need about ½ cup dressing for every 4 cups of shredded cabbage and vegetables. This is to lightly coat the vegetables with the dressing.

Garnishes. Garnishes, as well, are easily added to the finished mixture of cabbage and dressing. Here are a few garnishes for coleslaw: peanuts—salted or roasted and unsalted, cashews, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, blue cheese, bacon bits, dill seed, caraway, parsley, raspberries, mandarin sections—garnish to flavor and taste.

Putting it all together–Making Coleslaw:

Step 1: Prepare the dressing.

Step 2: Combine in a large bowl the cored and shredded cabbage with your choice of added vegetables and fruits, also shredded, and toss.

Step 3: Pour dressing over the cabbage and mix lightly; add enough dressing to evenly coat all the vegetables (or fruit). Season the mix with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to 3 hours allowing the flavors to permeate and the cabbage to soften. Coleslaw will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days—but if you add mayonnaise it’s best to chill and serve in 30 minutes.

Step 4: Garnish and serve. Coleslaw is a great complement to pork chops, roast pork, baked ham, grilled foods, sandwiches, hamburgers, and even savory crêpes.

The post How to Make Coleslaw with No Recipe appeared first on Harvest to Table.

This recipe was a favorite of Agnes Palmer of Walla Walla, Washington. When the Schmidt family put together their favorite family recipes in 2000, Agnes coleslaw was right there next to potato chip cookies (hmm, that’s another story).

The story goes that Agnes insisted on radishes from Fleenors, the favorite Walla Walla grocery of the 1950s and 60s that the Fleenor brothers hovered over. The gist is: choose your radishes with care. Fresh spring radishes with bite are what set this coleslaw apart.

How many variations of coleslaw are there? How many cooks make coleslaw?

“Koolsla” is a shortening of the Dutch “koolsalade” which means cabbage salad. “Cole” is the English term for cabbage coming from the Latin “colis” meaning cabbage. In some places, such as the American South, coleslaw is just plain “slaw.”

If you have a favorite family recipe, we’d like to try it and write about it.

The post Savory Radish-Cabbage Coleslaw appeared first on Harvest to Table.