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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Potato Salad w/ Honey Thyme Vinaigrette


Whew!

It seems like forever since I've been here to share anything with you.  It has been a whirlwind of activity around our house this summer and it has just started.  

 
I don't know whether or not I have told you about the Menu for the Future Discussion Group that David and I have been attending for the last six weeks.  Well, honestly, we haven't attended every week due to the chaos of moving and our summer activities; but, we have done the readings and attended when we could.  Long story, short.....you should look this up and if there is a discussion available in your area, I would encourage you to attend.  We learned so much and met some really nice people in our community in the process.

Last night, we marked the end of the discussion group meetings with a pot luck dinner.  What a fun time we had!  Monkey's dad participated in the noon meeting so we were blessed to enjoy dinner last night with their family along with my in-laws and some other family members who participated.


To get to the point of this blog post, I want to tell you about the dish that I brought.  When considering what to bring to this dinner, I happened across the most fabulous recipe featured by one of my favorite bloggers, Girlichef, who I am sure most of you know.  If by chance you haven't visited her wonderful blog, I encourage you to visit soon.  You will be so glad you did. The recipe that she posted looked so wonderful that I knew that I had to make it for the party.


I went in search of the fingerling potatoes that she used in her recipe and while I was able to find some of them, the market, also, had these other fantastic looking gourmet baby reds and purple potatoes and I had to pick them up, as well.  You know that I can't seem to make the recipe exactly as it's written.  My fingerling potatoes didn't cooperate with slicing them lengthwise down the middle like the original recipe called for so I ended up cutting them into about the same size as the other potatoes.



I was blessed enough to have the fresh thyme in my garden so the dressing recipe was perfect for using that.  I used a combination of regular thyme and lemon thyme.  And then there were the chive blossoms in the garden.....


Look at them! They were begging for me to use them in some way.  I have to tell you that my chives never bloomed in Louisiana so I had no idea that this occurred.  I am so thankful that the lady who lived in this house before me had planted some years ago.  These would be the perfect garnish for the top of the salad.

So without further adieu....here's my version of Girlichef's salad.


 Potato and Green Bean Salad w/ Honey-Thyme Vinaigrette
Adapted from Girlichef

salad ingredients:
1½ lbs. Potatoes
sea salt or kosher salt
8 oz. fresh green beans, ends snapped
1 smallish red onion, sliced paper thin
1 lb. bacon
2 oz. Feta cheese
Chopped Chives and Chive Blossoms, for garnish (optional)

honey-thyme vinaigrette:
¼ c. cider vinegar
1 shallot, peeled
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
1½ tsp. Dijon mustard
½ c. canola or vegetable oil
sea salt or kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Combine cider vinegar, shallot, honey, thyme leaves, and Dijon in the jar of a blender and process until smooth. Throw in a couple pinches of salt and a few good grinds of pepper. With blender running, slowly pour in oil in a steady stream until thick. Set aside. 

Slice bacon crosswise into ¼-½" strips.  Place in a frying pan and cook gently, pulling them apart from each other with your spoon, until just done. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool.

Place scrubbed potatoes in a large pot with water to cover by at least an inch. Add about a teaspoon or so salt and bring to a boil. Turn heat to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and then spread the potatoes out on a sheet tray to cool until you are able to handle them. 

Bring about a quart of salted water to a boil and add the green beans. Cook for 3 minutes or until just al dente. Quickly drain and shock the beans in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Once they are cooled, drain beans for a few minutes.

If you use fingerling potatoes, slice them in half lengthwise or slice into rounds while they are warm and place them in a large bowl with the green beans and sliced red onion.  Toss them with about half of the dressing.  If you are not ready to serve it right away, cover it and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.   

When you are ready to serve your potato salad, toss everything in the bowl around again.  Add chopped, cooked bacon and feta cheese and toss to combine again, adding more dressing if you'd like.  Sprinkle with chopped bacon, chives and chive blossoms.  This salad may be served warm, cold or at room temperature. Enjoy!


Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a wonderful week!






Hearth and Soul Hop at Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays














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Miz Helen’s Country Cottage

24 comments:

  1. my mouth is watering as i was reading the recipe, and those chive blossoms are beautiful.

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  2. I love your version of Heather's salad - it looks and sounds just wonderful. Love how you used the chive blossoms for garnish too, and I bet it tasted wonderful with your fresh thyme. Thank you for sharing it with the Hearth and Soul blog hop.

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  3. I LOVE LOVE LOVE THAT THERE IS NO MAY IN HERE!!! YAY, what a yummy dish!

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  4. Looks delicious! Love that vinaigrette, I have to try this one. My chives didn't blossom yet! Girlichef has a great blog.
    Your little Monkey is adorable! Sounds like a great discussion group!

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  5. Your salad is beautiful! I grow so many of the ingredients (even the putple potatoes) so this will be a very frugal recipe for me to serve at our next picnic.

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  6. what a beautiful tasty potato salad! gorgeous pics of ur thyme * *

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  7. OH, your version turned out just beautiful, Candace...I'm so glad that it was a hit. I love that you added chive blossoms. So pretty =) Thank you for the link love and your kind words!

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  8. One word....UNBELIEVEABLE!!!!!!! Gorgeous, mouthwatering, stunning, oh that's more than one...

    Lots of yummy love,
    Alex aka Ma What's For Dinner
    www.mawhats4dinner.com

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  9. Wow, your recipes are wonderful. Finally a truly delicious alternative to German potato salad ;-))))))

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  10. Potato salad looks fabulous, fresh thyme dressing is adding more flavor to it sure. Thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul hop,

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  11. This is one awesome potato salad! I love finding recipes that don't call for mayo because I can't stand the stuff. Honey and thyme sound like a winning combination!

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  12. Hmmmm, makes me hungry! I'm sure this was delish...looks gorgeous. Hope all is well in your world and that you're having a grand time.

    xo
    Pat

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  13. This looks so good. Would come over and share some of your recipes at my link party Cast Party Wednesday tomorrow?
    Thanks,
    I hope to see you there!

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  14. Candace! I love the new look of the blog. So fresh and beautiful! Speaking of fresh and beautiful, that potato salad with hints of thyme and honey sounds fantastic! So southern with a unique twist. I love it!

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  15. Awe look at you...I go away for 48 hours and you change your site! Love it! Very refreshing! Great recipe...so pretty...~Hugs, M

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  16. Sounds amazing! I especially dig the vinaigrette...so yummy!

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  17. The dressing sounds amazing.
    New follower from What's cooking Wednesday.
    Hope you follow back.
    http://grandmabonniescloset.blogspot.com/

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  18. This sounds delicious, enjoy the summer and remember blog without obligation, loyal readers are always here.

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  19. I love your choice of using the colorful potatoes! This potato salad sounds perfect for a July 4th cookout =)

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  20. the chive blossoms are beautiful. your salad is so nice and colorful, almost too pretty to eat. well almost, because my mouth is watering!!

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  21. What a fun twist on potato salad. Your little girl is so cute. I also love your new header.
    Hope you all have a fabulous fourth.

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  22. Hi Candace!
    this is so funny. My teenage son and I were just discussing whether or not people EAT flowers and here ya go...purple flowers in a potato salad. I guess he wins the bet. I'll tell him. :-)
    Happy 4th and enjoy that nice weather up there.
    Here...99degrees and humid. Ugh!
    P.S. Glad you liked the bungalow shots. I'll try to do one on bungalow doors this month.
    David/

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  23. Oh my goodness. It's one in the morning, and I should be going to bed, but instead I'm looking at your delicious food and my stomach is grumbling - because, well, there's NOTHING better than ANYTHING with potatoes! I (surprisingly!) have all the ingredients for this, and will totally be making it in the morning!

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