Wisconsin Potatoes Welcome Spring with Refreshing Spring Salads
Antigo, WI— Celebrate the arrival of spring with lightly dressed salads that marry the clean, earthy, home-grown flavors of Wisconsin potatoes with the brightness of spring’s first
vegetables and herbs. Wisconsin chefs offer some of their own ideas on the subject to get you started.
Executive Chef Ulrich Koberstein of The American Club in Kohler, Wisconsin, created this refreshingly light Wisconsin Potato & Pea Salad to mingle buttery-tasting yellow-fleshed
Wisconsin potatoes with the brilliance of fresh young sweet peas, lightly sautéed celery, a handful of the season’s first mint and a light lemon-mustard vinaigrette. While Chef Ulrich
prefers Wisconsin’s German Butterball variety, if they’re not available he recommends any round, yellow-flesh Wisconsin variety that’s golf-ball-size or smaller.
Sous Chef Justin Aprahamian of Sanford’s in Milwaukee called upon the popular Wisconsin Russet when he created this warm potato salad that he calls, quite simply, Marinated
Wisconsin Potatoes (recipe available at request). Chef Justin cuts the Russets into matchsticks and cooks them a white vinegar bath just ‘til tender. He drains them, then finishes them off with warm olive oil, fresh parsley, garlic and chili flakes. This unusual preparation, like the Wisconsin Potato & Pea Salad, keeps the true flavor of Wisconsin potatoes front and center.
Once you’ve tasted Wisconsin potatoes in your salads, you’ll never make another potato salad without them. Start this spring by adding cooked Wisconsin potatoes to your favorite spring vegetable salad or by using a variety of Wisconsin potatoes in your family’s favorite recipe. Or, give one of these delights a try, two among eight new recipes created by Wisconsin chefs using home-grown varieties of Wisconsin potatoes in healthy, easy and versatile dishes. They’re More of the Good Things from Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) was established in 1948, and is headquartered in Antigo, WI where it provides grower education, government support and
consumer education for the 150-grower organization. For more information about WPVGA, contact Angela C. Hemauer, Director of Promotions & Consumer Education at (715) 623-7683 or ahemauer@wisconsinpotatoes.com. Or visit www.wisconsinpotatoes.com.
Wisconsin Potato & Pea Salad with Mint Dressing
Yield: 4 servings
From Executive Chef Ulrich Koberstein, The American Club, Kohler, Wisconsin
“Wisconsin has so many unique varieties of potatoes which allow me to turn a simple potato salad into a truly special accompaniment. And we prefer to feature as many local Wisconsin
ingredients as possible at The American Club, so Wisconsin potatoes fit right in!”
2 pounds small round Wisconsin potatoes such as German Butterballs or other yellow-flesh variety
1-1/2 cups fresh, shelled peas
2 celery sticks, finely sliced and cooked in a little oil
Vinaigrette
3/4 cup fresh mint
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly cracked pepper
Preparation:
1. Put the Wisconsin potatoes in a deep pot, cover with salted water and bring to a boil.
2. When they are almost cooked, add the peas and cook for two minutes.
3. Tip the potatoes and peas into a colander and refresh under cold water for a few minutes.
4. Place the oil and mint into a blender and blend for 30 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients and blend for 15 seconds.
5. Combine the vegetables and dressing together and serve immediately. If you are planning to use as a salad later do not mix in the peas until immediately before serving as the acid will turn them brown.
Chef2Chef News Desk