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Help! Cooks Illustrated Best Light Recipe?

18 years ago

Hi all --

Wondering if anyone out there has Cooks Illustrated "Best Light Recipe" cookbook... I want to make their french potato salad... I've got their regular Best Recipe book, but that one has a little too much oil in it for my taste... Any chance someone could post the "Light Recipe" version of the french potato salad? I remember looking at it in the bookstore but never wrote the recipe down!

Thanks!

Emily

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Comments (2)

wizardnm
18 years ago
I have the book...but I found the recipe online...saves my poor typing! I compared the recipes and found just one difference, in the amount of EVO called for.

FRENCH POTATO SALAD
From: America's Test Kitchen Live!
by Cook's Illustrated

If fresh chervil isn't available, substitute an additional 1/2 tablespoon of minced parsley and an additional 1/2 teaspoon of minced tarragon. For best flavor, serve the salad warm, but to make ahead, follow the recipe through step 2, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Before serving, bring the salad to room temperature, then add the shallot and herbs.
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
Â 2 pounds (about 6 medium or 18 small) red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Â 2 tablespoons salt
Â 1 medium garlic clove, peeled and threaded on a skewer
Â 1 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
Â 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Â 1/4 cup olive oil (2 Tablespoons called for in "The Best Light Recipe Cookbook")
Â 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Â 1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
Â 1 tablespoon minced fresh chervil leaves
Â 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
Â 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
Â 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon leaves

Directions
1. Place the potatoes, 6 cups cold water, and the salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Lower the skewered garlic into the simmering water and blanch, about 45 seconds. Immediately run the garlic under cold tap water to stop the cooking process; remove the garlic from the skewer and set aside. Simmer the potatoes, uncovered, until tender but still firm (a thin-bladed paring knife can be slipped into and out of the center of a potato slice with no resistance), about 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Arrange the hot potatoes close together in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

2. Press the garlic through a garlic press or mince by hand. Whisk the garlic, reserved potato cooking water, vinegar, mustard, oil, and pepper together in a small bowl until combined. Drizzle the dressing evenly over the warm potato slices; let stand 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, toss the shallot and herbs gently together in a small bowl. Transfer the potatoes to a large serving bowl. Add the shallot-herb mixture and mix lightly with a rubber spatula to combine. Serve immediately.

Variations
FRENCH POTATO SALAD WITH ARUGULA, ROQUEFORT, AND WALNUTS
Follow the recipe for French Potato Salad, omitting the herbs and tossing the dressed potatoes with 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse, 4 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled, and 1 small bunch arugula, washed, dried, stemmed, and torn into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups), along with the minced shallot in step 3.

Nancy
fearlessem
Original Author
18 years ago
Oh you're an angel Nancy! I should have thought to google first... Many thanks, as I'm making this tonight to go with some BBQ ribs...

Emily
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