New ways with new potatoes

Often they don't come from this country but have travelled hundred of miles by plane. Once on display they stay there for weeks in their poly bags and often when you get them home you will find some have softened. You can of course get around this by buying the loose ones and carefully feeling that they are solid.

I am the first to agree that the best way to serve really new potatoes is to wash them carefully, without removing the skin, as here is where a lot of the goodness lies. Put them in cold water with a little salt and when cooked, drain them well and then return them to the pan with a good knob of butter. After a while you might like to add a few leaves of fresh mint when you boil the potatoes.

Not only are new potatoes excellent hot, they are ideal cold in a potato salad or with other ingredients so that the whole dish is a meal in itself.

When cooking potatoes for salads the knack is to cook them through to the middle and then stop. A caterer's trick is to cook them, drain them, and then cover them with cold water (as this will stop further cooking), and then re-drain before use.

POTATO SALAD

In the past this used to appear every time someone served a buffet. It was often using old fluffy potatoes covered in a salad dressing. Thankfully the newer version is much better and if you want to ring the changes you can also add a finely chopped hard boiled egg to the mixture. 2 lbs new potatoes 4-6 tablespoons vinaigrette dressing 4 tablespoons mayonnaise 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion salt and freshly ground black pepper Garnish: Plenty of chopped chives or spring onions. 1. Prepare and dice the potatoes. Boil them in salted water until just tender. Drain them and pour on the vinaigrette dressing while still hot. Allow to cool. 2. Add the mayonnaise, seasoning and chopped onion, and mix well together. Garnish with the finely chopped chives or spring onions. (Serves 6 portions)

MEDITERRANEAN KICK

This makes a nice change from the traditional potato salad and is especially nice served with sausages or barbecued food. 1 lb new potatoes Small bunch of coriander (chopped) 4 chopped mint leaves 1 small sliced de-seeded chilli Dressing 6 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons white vinegar teaspoon made mustard 1. Cook the whole potatoes, drain well and allow to cool. Mix with the mint, coriander and chilli. 2. In a jar mix the dressing ingredients and pour over the potatoes. Serve at once. (Serves 4 portions.)

POTATO AND CHICKEN

This salad is a little like the well known Coronation Chicken but you will note that it hasn't any apricot jam in it. On second thoughts there is no reason why you couldn't add a teaspoon with the mayonnaise. 2 lb new potatoes, scrubbed, boiled, and cut into large pieces 1 lb cooked chicken, in chunks 1 medium red pepper de-seeded and diced 1 tablespoon fresh chives, or spring onions chopped 1 teaspoon of fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional) Dressing: pint mayonnaise 1 tablespoon curry paste salt and pepper to taste Garnish: 2 hard boiled eggs, cut into eight a few sprigs of parsley 1. Place all the salad ingredients and the potatoes into a bowl and mix well. 2. Blend the mayonnaise and the curry powder together and season to taste. Stir into the salad. 3. Place in a serving dish, and garnish with the eggs and parsley. (Serves 8 portions)

POTATO AND FETA

This recipe is based on the traditional Greek Salad, but with the potatoes you needn't serve any bread. If you prefer you can use crisp slivers of bacon rather than the pepperoni. 2 lb new potatoes, well scrubbed, cooked and sliced 12 oz feta cheese, diced Few black olives, stoned and halved 1 lb small cherry tomatoes (halved) Half a cucumber cut into small cubes Half a green pepper sliced 5 oz pepperoni, sliced into strips freshly ground black pepper Few leaves of fresh oregano One iceberg lettuce torn into strips Dressing: pint olive oil 3 tablespoon white wine vinegar or the juice of a lemon 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped 1. Place all the salad ingredients in a bowl and mix well. 2. Put the dressing ingredients into a jar and shake vigorously. 3. Pour the dressing over the salad, pepperoni and torn oregano leaves. Toss gently until well coated. 4. Scatter the lettuce, (keeping back a few leaves) on a serving dish and pile the rest of the ingredients on top of it. Make a hole in the centre and arrange the remaining lettuce leaves in it. (Serves 8 portions)

POTATO AND FRUIT

People don't often think of serving fruit with vegetables but it's a good combination and they go well together. 1 lb lean cooked gammon, in large cubes 1 lb pineapple chunks in natural juice, drained 2 lb small new potatoes, scrubbed, halved, and cooked 2 medium bananas, sliced salt and freshly ground black pepper Dressing: pint natural yoghurt 2 tablespoon chopped chives, or finely chopped spring onions Garnish: Shredded crispy lettuce leaves 1. Place the lettuce on a large serving plate. 2. Put the rest of the salad ingredients into a large bowl, season, and toss well. 3. Mix together the yoghurt and chives/spring onions, and pour over the salad. Toss gently to coat the ingredients and then pile it on the lettuce leaves. (Serves 8 portions)

POTATOES AND CRAB

This recipe is really a starter and is served in small rounds. This is best achieved by filling oiled metal rings otherwise use small ramekin dishes. 8 oz cooked new potatoes 8 oz white crab meat 2 tablespoons mayonnaise teaspoon tomato puree Good pinch of cayenne pepper Little salt 1. Slice the potato very finely and place a good layer in the bottom of the rings of dishes. 2. Mix the crab meat with the mayonnaise (and tomato puree if using) and season well. Press this down on top of the potato. 3. If using the ring carefully remove them before serving with a surround of finely shredded lettuce. If in dishes garnish the plate with lettuce and place them in the centre. (Serves 4 starters.)