We’re up at the farm planting/weeding this week. I’m supposed to be taking advantage of the quiet to work on some material for BlogHer Food’13 since baby Robin and I are leaving for Texas in a little over a week to talk crowd funding with food bloggers.  Naturally I’m totally procrastinating and spending all my time perfecting a spring time version of potato salad. I’ve heard that some people eat when they are anxious; Seems I get excited and then have to cook the same recipe over and over while taking photographs. It’s a bit of an issue but I might as well go with it.

This Salad uses new potatoes, the perennial herbs that are available in Ontario gardens in spring time, fresh from the garden radishes, foraged ramps along with tons of mustard and a few glugs of local white wine. I hope you like it as much as we do.

2.5 pounds of new potatoes (it’s especially nice if a few of them are blue)

2 radishes, thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/4 cup of white wine

2 tablespoons of dijon mustard

1 tablespoon whole grain dijon mustard

2 ramps (or green onions), finely sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

2 table spoons chopped fresh chives, if you can add a few blossoms please do

sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Start by boiling your little potatoes whole for 15 minutes.  When they are cooked and have had a few minutes to cool down, cut them all in half.

While your tiny potatoes are still cooking start making your dressing. You can whisk the ingredients together if you like but we like to use a jar and then shake it all up. Thinly slice the ramps and chives, chop up your thyme, and  combine all your ingredients except the potatoes and the radishes in a jar with a tight fitting lid.  Then simply shake the jar, or even better, get some kids to help out by shaking it up for you. The mustard really emulsifies the dressing.

Once your dressing is ready, coat your potatoes in it.  It’s nicer if they are still warm when you dress them.

Now it’s time to get fancy. Use your vegetable peeler to slice your radishes super thin.  So thin even little children will admire their prettiness. I slice them directly into the salad.

That’s it.  Give your potato salad a final toss. You can eat this at room temperature or put in in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. If you have them, it’s nice to garnish it with a few chive blossoms.
This salad is perfect for a picnic and goes really well with my crustless quiche.