The Charlotte Jewish News- June- July 2026- Page 28
The Recipe File: The Potato Salad You’ ll Eat Standing at the Refrigerator
By Elizabeth Johnson
Summer cooking asks very little of us, which is perhaps why it feels so satisfying.
The tomatoes are already sweet, begging to be cut thick and methodically placed on toasted sourdough with a generous pinch of salt, pepper and an egregious slathering of Duke’ s mayonnaise.
The peaches perfume the kitchen before they are even sliced. For a simple albeit elegant dessert, I like to make a peach crumble in a cast-iron skillet.
Chop the peaches and toss them with a squeeze of lemon juice. In a separate bowl, mix one stick of cold butter, cut into small pieces, with ¾ cup oats, ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ cup flour, almond or otherwise, and a dash of cinnamon.
Layer the peaches in the bottom of the skillet, then scatter the buttery crumble mixture over the top. Add chopped walnuts or almonds for crunch. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden.
Serve warm, preferably with vanilla ice cream or a soft cloud of whipped cream. This recipe works for any fruit. I also like mixed berries, pears, and Granny Smith apples. The list is endless.
Corn requires little more than butter and salt to feel complete. You can boil it or grill it to achieve a sweet char. A squeeze of lime makes it sing. This time of year, I love to make corn salads with grilled corn, chopped scallions, fresh cilantro, diced pepperoncinis, crumbled feta and corn nuts or something crunchy for texture, all tossed in a simple vinaigrette of lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
By June, meals begin to move outdoors almost instinctively, assembled from farmers market hauls and whatever can be grilled quickly before the sun dips too low. We light citronella candles, set the table, put out a big bowl of cherries, count the fireflies and enjoy the great outdoors. And during such evenings, there are always the dishes that quietly become the stars of the table. This potato salad is one of them.
Forget the heavy, overly dressed versions too often passed around at cookouts. In my opinion, it is far too hot in Charlotte for mayonnaise-based ensembles.
This one is bright, sharp and unapologetically alive with flavor. Tender potatoes are tossed with diced celery, scallions, parsley and dill before being coated in a lemony vinaigrette layered with olive oil, mustard and finely chopped lemon for bite and
texture.
It is tangy in the best possible way. And the kind of dish that somehow tastes even better several hours( and days) later after the dressing settles into the warm potatoes and the herbs soften just slightly. The bowl guests keep returning to throughout the evening almost absentmindedly, adding“ just one more spoonful” beside whatever else is on their plate.
Equally at home next to grilled chicken or steak at a backyard cookout or served alongside crisp wine and seafood at a summer dinner party, it manages to feel both unfussy and sophisticated, which may be the sweet spot of summer entertaining.
Its highest compliment, however, usually arrives late at night. You open the refrigerator intending to take a single bite straight from the container and find yourself lingering there for several forkfuls instead.
The very best summer recipes tend to do that. They become attached to people, tables and eventually entire summers themselves. Requested repeatedly. Shared with friends. Brought to gatherings in oversize bowls with the quiet confidence that there will be none left by the end of the night. This potato salad is that kind of recipe. Bon Appetit.
The Very Best Potato Salad
• Salt and pepper
How To
• Boil potatoes for 15 minutes or until you can easily pierce with a knife. Drain and set aside to cool for around 20 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine the chopped lemon, scallions, celery, vinegar, mustard, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Throw in potatoes, olive oil, parsley, and combine gently. Finish with the squeeze of a lemon, chopped dill, salt and pepper.
What are your favorite summer dishes? The recipes that appear once the plums are finally good, the watermelon is sweet enough to eat standing over the sink, and dinner somehow stretches long past sunset. I would love to hear what finds its way to your table this time of year. Shoot me an email to elizabeth. johnson @ jewishcharlotte. org
PERSONAL INJURY LAW FIRM
CONTACT US FOR A FREE CONSULTATION
704-800-HELP( 4357) YALEHAYMONDLAW. COM
Licensed in North Carolina & South Carolina
Ingredients
• 2 lbs. potatoes. You can buy a bag of small ones or a few big ones, salt them, and roughly cut them to the size of a golf ball.
• 2 lemons. With one lemon, remove the seeds and finely chop it all. Skins and all. You are saving the second lemon to finish.
• 3-4 scallions. Chopped.
• 1 head of celery. Chopped and also chop the leaves.
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons whole-grain mustard, plus more
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 bunch of parsley leaves.
Chopped.
• 1 bunch of dill. Chopped.
• Optional: Half a cup of feta cheese or queso fresco.