Solid potato salads

Three showstoppers, with hella herbs, tadka bloomed spices, and not a whiff of mayonnaise to be found

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Hello friends, and welcome to today’s very summery Stories from Catbird Cottage! I keep lists on lists of “good recipe ideas”. I often refer to them, brainstorming on ‘what would make an interesting, fresh recipe’ to share here, and usually begin with this internal process…

1. What ingredients do I currently have in the fridge or pantry?

2. What is coming into season right now, what do I have in my garden, or can find out in the wild landscape?

3. What will be gorgeous, delicious, and bring something exciting to my/your life?

From there, usually I find a thread I can begin to tease out, which in turn makes me excited to go and make it. Pretty cool, huh? That is exactly how these three recipes were born.

For a bit of tangential (and riveting) background, today’s title is inspired by a 1944 truly mind-blowing video of the Ross sisters, performing a routine to “Solid Potato Salad”. You will never forget it once you watch it - be forewarned, it’s a lot. Let’s just say, you’re gonna flip for these flavors....

Two of these recipes are riffs on themes I’ve made before, however, the particulars of the Niçoise-ish potato salad are new, and making a “meal salad” always feels like an extra win. The triple allium + hella herbs potato salad is the type I most often make, but this version has a few new twists I’ll be incorporating from here on out. The tadka spice potato salad is *completely new territory*! It was one of the a-ha moments as I reached into my imagination. I am so happy I traveled down the path and ended up where I did, and I hope you’ll be enticed to make all three. It may go without saying, but all are gluten-free. The hella herbs is vegan, and the tadka spices is vegetarian. This means, something for everyone :)

Hubby and I both agreed, each was SO GOOD. Any will be fully at home at your next picnic or cookout, or even as part of a batch meal for the coming week. If you decide you only have time for one though, strongly consider the tadka spices recipe… It is earthy, bright, creamy, herbaceous, and packed with surprising good stuff. When food has the power to be delicious and surprise me, it earns extra points!

These new, previously unpublished potato salad recipes are posted below for paid subscribers. Thank you for supporting my work! This newsletter would not exist without you...

That said, I want these dishes to be available to as many people as possible, so I’m offering a special: 25% off of annual subscriptions, in celebration of my birthday month 🎉 🎉 🎉 If you’ve been on the fence, now’s a great time to join. There’s no link required - just go to the subscription page and the discount is taken at point of payment. Or feel free and hit the button below. Your subscription gives you access to all new recipes, my entire Recipe Archive, in-depth explorations into making plump, crowd-pleasing beans, foraging, how to build your best pantry, and more. Your support helps keep this newsletter going.

Now, for the recipes…