mustard greens
romaine leaves
turnips
red potatoes
yukon gold potatoes
spring onions
eggs
ground buffalo
bacon
milk
yogurt
I'm thinking I'll go ahead and rock out the turnips and a few of the red potatoes for a lovely potato salad. When I was a kid, I hated potato salad. It was the stepchild of the barbecue. It looked good enough, fooling me into thinking I'd actually enjoy the side dish, but just like the baked beans, they'd end up on my plate as filler and remain there once I was ready to throw out the Chinet. In went the plate into the trashcan, facedown, so no one knew what a wasteful person I was. Eventually, I just learned to bypass altogether and replace with an additional helping of coleslaw.
But as I grew up, my tastebuds changed, along with the recipes, and I grew to like potato salad. Preferably the way my Aunt Sanny makes it. When she makes a batch, you'd better have your plate in hand and get in line in front of my mother, because if you end up behind her, you won't stand a chance. My mother can kill a bowl of potato salad like it's no one's business. That and an icebox pie with vanilla wafers. Back off and watch out. You might get hurt.
A while ago, I'd tried turnips for the first time in a long time. Turnips are one of those vegetables that look so complicated on the produce shelf that you're a little intimidated. They're purple and have those beet like stems, so immediately you don't know what to do. At least that's the way I view them. Since I hadn't really had a turnip in years and they looked like oversized beets or radishes, my conception of its flavour often eluded me, so most of the time they got a once over and that was all. I'd move onto the next vegetable. I'm not sure where or when I had them again, but when I did, I realized that tastewise, they are pretty similar to a potato. I tried them out in a gratin dauphinois and the result was remarkable. A little sweeter than a potato and totally delicious.
So. Since I've got turnips on my list and it's almost barbecue time (at least once the April showers let up), I'm going to have a go at my very own turnip salad. Inspired by Aunt Sanny. If my Mom pushes me out of the way, and starts throwing elbows at everyone near the picnic table, then I know it's a good thing.
**update**
It's an even better deal when your mother, the potato salad princess, agrees to make the salad for you.... Thanks, Brenda!!
