Blog Posts by Gourmet

By Kemp Minifie, Gourmet

Potato salad is one of those summertime staples that is predictable, but rarely memorable. Yet there's no reason why it shouldn't be outstanding every time. Ten tips I've gleaned over years of trial and error in the kitchen will make the difference between ho-hum and "Wow, how'd you make this?"

1. You Say Potato and I Say Waxy:
- Texture is crucial. You want spuds that hold their shape when cooked, delivering a dense, waxy chew. Skip russet (baking) potatoes; they fall apart in a salad.
- My favorites are small white, yellow, or red thin-skinned potatoes (about 2 inches in diameter). And if they're newly dug, even better!

2. Keep Their Jackets On:
- Cook the potatoes whole, with their skins intact. By keeping them whole, you retain the natural moisture balance in the potato.

3. Don't Skimp on Salt for the Cooking Water:
-This single step will work magic on your salad. Cook potatoes in generously salted water to bring out their

By Kemp Minifie, Gourmet

Looking for the new "it" green? It's purslane, and don't purse your lips at it! Its transformation from weed to super-green is worthy of a Harvard MBA study. Although purslane's been around for thousands of years-it's originally from India-the plant has traveled the world and seems to grow easily just about everywhere; ask any farmer or gardener.

See more: 19 Sweet and Savory Ways to Eat Ice Cream

While people around the globe have been gobbling up purslane for a long time, the American health police were a bit slow to recognize its prodigious benefits. Not any longer. You know a weed has made a Cinderella changeover when farmers post signs at their local markets extolling its many virtues. Primary among them is the fact that it's the richest vegetable source of those extremely desirable omega-3 fatty acids, richer even than some fish oils.

See more: Inside the Playboy Mansion's Kitchen

I've seen a few sheepish grins from farmers

By Kemp Minifie, Gourmet

Ever since sugar snap peas hit the marketplace in the early 80′s, they've become the favorite pea, more popular than English (shelling) peas or snow peas. Are we surprised? Sugar snaps are the essence of a no-waste, no-fuss vegetable that has everything going for it: A giant reward of flavor for minimal work.

English peas, in contrast, require time and patience for shelling-that is, if you are using fresh ones in the pod, and not already shelled and frozen-and the pile of pods you're left with is substantial.

Snow peas are all about pod and no pea, so it's easy to feel you're missing something. According to Leslie Land, a cookbook and gardening author, if snow peas are allowed to grow and mature, the peas inside "taste dreadful."

See more: 19 Sweet and Savory Ways to Eat Ice Cream

Will The Real Sugar Snap Pea Please Come Forward: The sweetest, best-tasting sugar snap is the original sugar snap pea, claims Land. It was developed by

By Andrea Albin, Gourmet

The corn dog may be a regular at state fairs, but we're willing to bet you haven't had one this good before. That's because we grill the hot dog first to give it a deeper, smokier flavor, then dip it in a buttermilk-cornmeal batter that fries up to a thick, fluffy shell. These dogs are delicious with mustard or ketchup and a frosty root beer on the side.

See more: 19 Sweet and Savory Ways to Eat Ice Cream

CORN DOGS
MAKES: 8 CORN DOGS
ACTIVE TIME:15 MIN
START TO FINISH: 45 MIN

INGREDIENTS:
8 hot dogs
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
About 8 cups vegetable oil, divided
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon cayenne 2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk


EQUIPMENT: a grill pan; 8 wooden ice-pop sticks; a deep-fat thermometer

ACCOMPANIMENTS: ketchup and mustard

See more: Inside the Playboy Mansion's Kitchen

Oil grill pan, then grill hot dogs over medium-high

Gourmet Live's Kelly Senyei counts down the 10 dishes that have fueled America's love affair with in-an-instant eats

It's commonly said that the fast-food industry feeds 25% of Americans daily. In 2011, the fast-food sector in America generated more than $190 billion in revenue, and 2012 estimates show no signs of slowing. That's a whole lot of eating. We're counting down the top 10 tastiest dishes that keep diners coming back for more.

by Kemp Minifie, Gourmet

Brightly colored summer radishes are at their juicy best right now, bunched and piled high on farmers market tables. Radishes aren't just round and red anymore. These days they can come in pink, purple, or white jackets, or be long, svelte, and multicolored, like French breakfast radishes, which are mostly red with white tips.

Whichever ones you buy or dig up from your garden, don't chuck the tops in the garbage can! The leaves are not only edible, they're also downright delicious! Add the youngest, most tender ones to a salad, and sauté the rest -they cook quickly-with olive oil into vitamin-packed greens.

See more: 19 Sweet and Savory Ways to Eat Ice Cream

Raw With Butter and Sea Salt: This is the French way, and it makes the easiest hors d'oeuvre. Splurge on the best sweet-not salted-butter you can find and let it come to room temperature. Pack it in a ramekin alongside another one with sea salt, preferably the French sel gris (gray

by Kemp Minifie, GourmetPhoto: Romulo Yanes

In case you were so busy munching on lettuce that the news passed you by, May is National Salad Month, kicking off the summer season when most of us crave salad the most. And what's a salad without a dressing? A boring bunch of greens. Salad dressings were consistently among the most frequently requested recipes at Gourmet magazine and for good reason: A perfectly dressed salad is a thing of beauty. Here are five dressings that are guaranteed to rock your salad bowl, if not your world!

See also: 10 Outrageous Pies

BASIL CAESAR DRESSING: A fresh green riff on a flavor combination we'll never tire of.

Mince 1 medium garlic clove. In a blender blend it with 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon anchovy paste. With motor running, add 6 tablespoons olive oil in a slow stream, blending until it's emulsified. Add 1 cup basil leaves and ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, and blend until dressing is green. Serve with hearts of romaine, croutons, and

by Kemp Minifie, GourmetPhoto: Romulo Yanes

You've trekked to the farmers market and been seduced by gorgeous heads of lettuce and bushy bunches of greens. Now you've got your booty back home and it's time to show it off. Here are eight great tips for turning your bounty into a salad worthy of the farmers who grew the produce.

See also: 10 Outrageous Pies

• Invest in a big lightweight bowl, much larger than what you'll serve the salad in, and use it for tossing your greens with a dressing. You can't coat the greens effectively if they keep falling out of the bowl.

• Recycle old cotton or linen pillowcases as storage bags for your lettuce, instead of plastic bags. The material allows the salad greens to breathe while it absorbs any excess liquid on the leaves.

• Make your own vinaigrette. Memorize the ratio of one part vinegar or lemon juice to three parts oil. Season the acid with salt and if you'd like, a smidgen of sugar, honey, or maple syrup (it tames the sharpness of the vinegar). A spoonful of