The quest for yellow potatoes
Earlier this year, Christian Courier put out a request for recipe submissions and stories to share with our readers. Harriette Mostert, an occasional contributor to our pages, sent in the following.
My parents, by virtue of their European heritage, have always been potato people. Monday to Friday, our dinner plates were at least one third filled with potatoes, usually boiled and served with gravy. Canadian potatoes, however, were not quite like the ones back home, especially if their flesh was ghastly white. After the discovery of the hybrid variety “Yukon Gold,” my family bought only these highly favoured potatoes.
I’d like to share two potato recipes that, even if made with “red” or “white” potatoes, will still lead to the homey yellow result my parents still prize.
Simple Potato Salad
This recipe was a family classic when I was growing up and came from the “Purity Cookbook,” which promoted the Purity brand of flour.
- 4 cups potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1.5 cups finely chopped celery
- 2 Tbsp each chopped onion and parsley
- ¼ cup chopped bread and butter pickles (optional)
Dressing: Mix together ¾ cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp vinegar (or pickle brine), 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp salt and ground pepper to taste
Boil potatoes until tender, drain and cool at room temperature. When potatoes have reached room temperature, toss with other ingredients and dressing and chill for at least one hour. Serves 6 as a side dish.
Middle Eastern Mashed Potatoes
This recipe came to my family via an Iraqi-Armenian newcomer who joined our family in 2015.
- 6-8 medium-large potatoes
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 tsp turmeric
- ¼ chicken broth (optional)
- 1 cup (or more) milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
Peel and boil potatoes as usual until tender. Drain, mash and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat butter and oil in frying pan to sauté onion until translucent.
Add turmeric and chicken broth. Carefully pour mixture into the potatoes. Add milk while stirring so that you arrive at the consistency of a thick soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.
