Warm Potato Salad with Dijon Mustard

A potato salad with a difference

It's Christmas and for the first time in nine years my husband is home, We're hosting Christmas dinner. I perused my recipes to try at least one different salad as an accompaniment to the two meats I’m preparing. Yes, as a vegetarian, I prepare meat dishes, cook meat dishes, serve meat dishes. All I don’t do is eat them! I’ve also stuffed the chicken with a completely different forcing. It is my own deduction of a ready- made potted stuffing I saw on the shelf in the supermarket. If it tastes good, which I’m sure it will, I’ll post the steps/instructions.

Now back to the salad. Three months ago I was asked to make a potato dish for lunch that our church was serving for a group of delegates after a regional meeting. I found two recipes on the Internet which looked interesting so I amalgamated them. Viola! The perfect recipe. It looked and tasted divine. It is also one of those recipes that you look at, taste and say to yourself, “Mmm, delicious, but next time I’ll add this or that...”

You can serve it with crispy fried streaky bacon as a starter, or upgrade it to a main meal by adding lamb shanks, Eisbein, smoked pork sausages or even smoked chicken.

Warm Potato Salad with Dijon Mustard
(Serves 4)
20 baby potatoes
2 red onions, sliced
8 black olives, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons soft, sundried tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoon capers, well drained
5 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup fruit chutney
1/3 cup low-oil salad dressing
Coarse salt and ground black pepper
15ml white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard (I used Hot English Mustard)
1 pickled gherkin, patted dry and finely chopped.

Mix all ingredients except for the potatoes and set aside. (Don’t refrigerate)
Boil potatoes in salted water until just done.
Spoon the warm potatoes into an earthenware casserole dish, pour sauce over and garnish with fresh parsley.
Serve immediately.

I've been up since 4am. I roasted the chicken; (remember, hubby - no eat turkey) and it's waiting to be carved by himself. I've also cooked a huge gammon and will glaze and decorate it with pineapples rings and cherries in a minute. Then it goes back into the oven for that delicious browning until it resembles rich toffee. I've kneaded dough for my special Foccacia; I'm waiting for it to rise. MIL (read Mum-in-law) is making her delicious lemon meringue pie. DIL (yes, that's right, daughter-in-law) will be here mid-morning to help set the table.She does it beautifully. We're placing all the cold meat and salads on the top of the pool table and serve it buffet-style. SIL (mmm, you know the drill by now) is bringing a Malva pudding. (a scrumptious baked pudding with a sticky sauce)

The other guests arrive at 12.30 and we'll have another spate of gift opening.

Last night MIL, her husband, my husband and I exchanged gifts. Great fun. I gave hubby a framed collage of his favourite wife (how about that for being in-your-face? Ha!) Well, he'll soon be off to work in Canada and I don't want him to forget me. He gave me a brand-new pair of secateurs. (pruning shears)

Above all I want honour the most important Guest here today, the Lord Jesus. I dedicate this special day which remembers His coming to earth now and forever. Amen!

To all you beautiful bloggers out there, have a wonderful Christmas.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come...