CSA Wednesdays: Potato Salad and Jalapeno Chevre Hush Puppies

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Can you believe it’s July already?  The summer is flying by at a fast pace but my cooking is definitely slowing down.  Somedays it’s too warm outside to make something hot inside.  Usually on those days we end up eating green salads, veggies, or pasta salad.  It helps that we have a CSA and tons of choices.

This week in our CSA share we received kale, zucchini, squash, cilantro, thyme, chevre, onions, elderberry flowers, and peas.  I was able to make several different meals and side dishes with this weeks share.  I made the elderberry flower pancakes and will be sharing the recipe next week.  With the kale, zucchini, and squash I made a lovely vegetable stew that can be found here.

I used the cilantro and thyme in a new potato salad recipe that doesn’t have any mayonnaise in it.  I always find that mayo covers the flavor of everything else and it’s hard to take to a picnic because it spoils easily.  This version uses olive oil, Dijon mustard, and fresh herbs to flavor it and can stay outside longer.  We loved the change from traditional potato salad.

I’m also having fun learning how to use all the different types of goat cheese we’re been receiving.  At first we were going to use the chevre on top of salads but then I came across a recipe that used it in jalapeno hush puppies.  How delicious do those sound?  They were really good.  They were crispy on the outside, had a spiciness to them from the jalapenos, and the cheese was gooey and delicious inside.

Potato Salad with Celery and Herbs (adapted from Woman’s Day)
3 lb. red new potatoes.
1-2 t. sea salt
1 t. black pepper
1 lemon
1/4 c. olive oil
2 T. Dijon mustard
2 t. honey
4 celery stalks, sliced thin
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped
2 T. fresh dill, chopped
2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 T. fresh thyme, chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, coarsely chopped

1.  Cook the potatoes in a large pot over high heat.  Cook for 10-15 minutes or until just tender.  Drain and soak in cold water to cool.  Cut in half or quarter, depending on the size of the potatoes.

2.  Zest the lemon.  Place 1 tablespoon of lemon zest in a large bowl.  Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the bowl.  Whisk in the honey, olive oil, mustard, salt, and pepper.

3.  Add the potatoes and celery and toss to coat.  Stir in half of the herbs, reserving the other half for serving.

4.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.  Serve with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and the hard boiled eggs.

Jalapeno Chevre Hush Puppies  (adapted from MontChevre)
1 c. cornmeal (I used Bob’s Red Mill blue cornmeal)
2 T. all purpose flour
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 c. milk
1 egg, beaten
2 T. jalapeno, seeded and chopped
4 oz. chevre (goat cheese), crumbled
Vegetable oil for frying

1.  In a large bowl whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

2.  Stir the milk, egg, jalapeno, and cheese into the batter and mix well.

3.  Pour 1 inch of vegetable oil into a frying pan and heat over medium high heat to 320 degrees.

4.  Drop batter by 1 tablespoonfuls into the oil and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning frequently, until the hush puppies are golden brown.

5.  Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.  Serve hot.