calling all cooks....

[MRSFUSSY]

I recently tried a new potato salad recipe in the current Good Housekeeping magazine. This is a slimmed down version. It calls for 3/4 c. buttermilk, 1/4 c. light mayo, green oions, spices and 2T cider vinegar. I didn't add the vinegar as I thought that it would turn the buttermilk sour. Experts please help. Thanks.

 

[ricoba]

I am not sure how much more sour buttermilk could get!

But why not try and mix some buttermilk and vinegar together prior to making up the recipe? See what happens and how the milk tastes and is effected.

My guess is that vinegar may curdle the milk, but I really don't have any idea!

 

[Passepartout]

From out here in Spudland

We toss the (cooked) potatoes in a little red wine vinegar and a touch of sugar the night before- or at least for a couple of hours before assembling the potato salad. This came form an old Betty Crocker cookbook from the '50's.

The idea is to add some flavor to the spuds, not curdle the milk.

Jim Ricks

 

[pjrose]

We toss the (cooked) potatoes in a little red wine vinegar and a touch of sugar the night before- or at least for a couple of hours before assembling the potato salad. This came form an old Betty Crocker cookbook from the '50's.

The idea is to add some flavor to the spuds, not curdle the milk.

Jim Ricks

This makes a much flavorful potato salad than just plain potato chunks coated with the mayo dressing. I recall reading that if you put the vinegar - or a vinegar/italian spices mixture - on the potatoes while they're still hot, it'll work even better.

 

[DeniseM]

To answer your question - lots of creamy salad dressings have vinegar in them - it won't hurt the buttermilk.

I have a GREAT low fat potato salad recipe made with FF Sour Cream. Guests that I've served it to didn't even realize it wasn't the regular full-fat mayonnaise dressing:

Denise’s Low Fat Potato Salad

3-4 lbs. potatoes, peeled, cooked and cubed
1.5 c. thinly sliced celery
1 bell pepper - chopped
1 med. chopped red onion
optional - 2 hard cooked eggs - chopped

Dressing
1 c. Fat free sour cream - I like Naturly Yours brand
1/3 c. low-fat Ranch Dressing (I like Wishbone, Just 2 Good brand)
1/3 c. sweet pickle relish
1 t. celery seed
1 t. dill
1 T. vinegar
1 T. prepared mustard
2 t. salt
1 t. sugar or 1 envelope sugar substitute

1. Mix dressing and allow flavors to blend while preparing other ingredients.

2. Peel and cook potatoes until tender, but not overly soft. Plunge potatoes into an ice bath to cool. (Eggs can be hard cooked with the potatoes if desired.)

3. While potatoes are cooking, chop celery, bell pepper, and onion.

4. Cube cooled potatoes, chop eggs, and fold dressing and all ingredients together. Chill at least 4 hours, or over night for best flavor.

It may look like too much dressing at first, but the potatoes will absorb the extra dressing as it chills. If you don’t have enough dressing, stir in a little more low-fat ranch dressing.