no. 156: smashed potato & peperoncini salad with smoked mackerel
Plus, the lockers that are making my apartment look way cuter.
Last weekend, I catered an 18-person dinner party, and it was one of those menus that just felt RIGHT. I had my friend Lily helping me in the kitchen, and we had the negroni master herself, Sara, working the bar. A true dream team. Here’s what we made:
Stationary Appetizers
Burrata, Salami and Honey Toasts (inspired by Marvin)
Family Style Mains
Balsamic-Marinated Hanger Steak (from To the Last Bite) with Tomatoes, Basil, and Pecorino
Crispy Chicken Milanese with Black Pepper, Arugula, & Parm
Caramelized Zucchini, Toasted Breadcrumb, and Lemon Pasta
Roasted Cauliflower with Anchovy, Caper, Fresno Chile, Mint
Arugula, Shaved Carrot, and Fennel Salad with Toasted Pine Nut Vinaigrette (inspired by Companion!)
Dessert
Do we want recipes for any of these? TALK TO ME!
Aside from this menu, let’s talk about some other things I’m loving right now!
Mustard Made Lockers
I’ve taken on a few *small* projects around my home in attempt to give it a bit of a facelift, and one of the new additions is these cute lockers from Mustard Made. I got two of the mixers in sage and I am so obsessed with them. As you can probably imagine, My kitchen is full of a lot of clutter, and these lockers are helping me find a home for all my little props and toys and things.
They were super easy to assemble (though I did make my hot Swedish neighbor Herman help me). Choosing a color was nearly impossible because there were so many cute options, but I’m feeling really good about this light green.
Use code SARA10 for 10% off your order!!
Gap Cotton Poplin Boxer Shorts
I am going to Copenhagen in a month (!), and I want to dress like a trendy Danish woman while I’m there, so I bought these boxer shorts from Gap. I have never once worn a pair of boxer shorts that look good on me because they’re either too short or they bunch kinda weird at the waist. These, however, are so comfy and fit me RIGHT.
If all goes according to plan, I’ll be basking in the Scandinavian sun in these shorts, a white tank top, and perhaps a glass of orange wine.
Smashed Potato & Peperoncini Salad with Smoked Mackerel
Serves: 4-6
Active time: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 mintues
I’m obviously coming off of a bit of a tinned fish high after making Becca’s wedding grazing board last weekend. Being surrounded by a bounty of tinned fish (specifically Fishwife) was a great reminder that smoked mackerel is DELICIOUS.
I wanted to develop an easy potato salad that packs a little extra protein than your average picnic salad, so I whipped up this summery smashed ‘tater spectacle, which I bulked up with Greek yogurt, bacon, and the woman of the hour, smoked mackerel.
It’s not a proper potato salad unless there are crunchy and pickly and herby components in there, so I also made sure to include celery, peperoncini, and fresh dill, respectively. This was too good, and it only got better as it chilled out in the fridge, TBH. I added a couple dashes of hot sauce to the creamy dressing because that’s just the kind of woman that I am, and I’d highly recommend it.
Smashed potatoes require a bit more effort than a classic boiled potato, but I do happen to think it’s worth the extra time. I like to roast them until they’re deeply golden brown so that they have a nice little crunch in the salad. Patience!
Any tinned fish, such as tuna, salmon, or trout, would work well in this salad, but I happen to enjoy the subtle sweet and buttery flavor from the mackerel. Use what you have and whatever feels right! If you’re shopping at Fishwife, use my code SARATANE for 10% off!
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