July is National Picnic Month. When we picnic, we opt for light fare, typically sandwiches and salads with a bit of a French touch with two essentials: mustard and cornichons.
For a delicious sandwich, I cut a French baguette into 6 inch wedges, then I slice lengthwise and spread Maille Old Style Whole Grain Dijon Mustard on both sides, then layer with thin slices of ham and gruyere cheese. I often serve olives and coronations on the side.
As for the salads, I usually dress mesclun with a simple dressing made with 1 part Maille Dijon mustard, 1 part olive oil, salt and pepper, which are emulsified before mixing with the greens. Another salad that’s easy to make is a colorful purple potato salad that uses fresh seasonal vegetables (see recipe below).
Depending on where we are, we’ll have a chilled bottle of wine handy for a refreshing drink. How do you picnic?
Purple Potato Salad
Photo credit: Maille
Serves: 4-6 as a side dish
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb. purple potatoes, washed and whole
- 1 shallot, minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon Maille Dijon Originale
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 lb. peas, shelled and blanched
- 1 bunch mint, finely chopped
- 1 bunch basil, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup Maille Cornichons, sliced lengthways
- In a large pot of cold water, place potatoes and bring to a strong simmer. Salt and cook until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain potatoes, cut in half, lengthways and place in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk shallots, lemon juice, salt and mustard together, let the mixture sit for 5 minutes to macerate. Slowly whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Toss dressing and remaining ingredients together. Tip: Frozen peas work equally well as freshly shelled and blanched. To prep, simply defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
Disclosure: I received three products from Maille in exchange for my review: Dijon mustard, Old Style Whole Grain mustard, and cornichons. The opinions expressed are my own and I received no further compensation from Maille or their representatives.
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