The Fat Girl's Guide to Living

Potato salad is one of my favorite things to take to the barbecues and picnics that are now dotting my social calendar. However, the dreaded Mayonnaise Factor is a common concern for outdoor events: How long can you leave mayo-based salads out in the heat before they’re unsafe to eat? Will people shy away from your potato salad because they’re not sure how long it’s been sitting out? And, of course, what about the folks who either don’t like mayo or steer clear due to health concerns?

So what’s the alternative? Though I will always have a soft spot for classic, mayonnaise-based potato salad, I’ve also recently discovered a lighter, and more outdoor-friendly, version that fellow food blogger Susan not only created but published in Cooking Light! Having made this recipe three times since first seeing it, I can tell you it is totally deserving of publication and every rave review that goes with it.

Rather than potatoes, eggs and pickles, this ‘Farmers Market’ version takes advantage of all of the great, fresh produce that’s available at this time of year. Roasting the potatoes and corn brings robust warmth to the flavors of this dish, but best of all, you’ll have no worries about mayo sitting out in the summer heat. Serve it room temperature or serve it cold–it’s great either way.

This is a great dish to bring to all of your summer get-togethers — make a double batch!

Farmers’ Market Potato Salad
(adapted from Food Blogga & Cooking Light)
1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
2 pounds red potatoes, quartered
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
3/4 cup vertically sliced red onion
1 cup zucchini, sliced into half moons
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place corn and potatoes on a jelly-roll pan. Drizzle vegetables with 1 tablespoon oil; toss to coat. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Place mixture in a large bowl. Combine tarragon and next 5 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Drizzle potato mixture with dressing; toss gently to coat.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and zucchini to pan; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini mixture and tomatoes to potato mixture; toss gently to combine.

Yield: 6 1-cup servings

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