Add a burst of color to Memorial Day menu
SWAP SHOP By Sandy Thorn Clark
You'll be seeing red with your Memorial Day menu, thanks to two unique, flavor-packed potato salad recipes -- both featuring redskin potatoes, red onion and red pepper -- shared by Brett Stein, executive chef of Catering by Michael's in Morton Grove, in answer to a request from D.G. of Cresthill.
For dessert, prepare Pistachio Dessert, popular with young and old for decades and requested by J.H. of Chicago. Joan Weeks of Downers Grove shares her family's favorite recipe for Pistachio Dessert, which has become a hit at her son's office potlucks.
Dolly Reed of Joliet, Mary Sullivan of Dixon, Sue Medema of Valparaiso, Judi Hennessy of Oak Lawn, Jan Paloian of Chicago, Rita Norum of Skokie, D. Palumbo of Schaumburg and Nancy Hodges of Chicago (who enjoyed the dessert in the mid-'70s when a classmate's mother made the yummy after-school snack they called Mrs. Schultz's Green Stuff) also contributed recipes.
Stein includes blanched asparagus tips in his Red Potato Asparagus and Red Pepper Salad. The dressing combines Dijon mustard, mayonnaise and togarashi (a spice containing Chinese chile, orange peel, seaweed, ginger, poppy seeds and sesame seeds available in Asian markets and specialty spice stores).
For Stein's Spring Herb Potato Salad with Lemon-Olive Oil Dressing: Cook 2 pounds redskin potatoes in salted boiling water until slightly soft. Cool potatoes completely; dice into ?206-140?-inch cubes.
Toss 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil with potatoes. Add 1/2 cup chopped red onion, 1/2 cup chopped red pepper, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 3 tablespoons chopped oregano, 2 tablespoons chopped mint, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper; toss well. Adjust seasoning, if necessary. Refrigerate.
If you don't have time to make Stein's salads, they are available at Catering by Michael's (www.cateringbymichaels.com).
Please share a recipe for fluffy pancakes made with cottage cheese.
L.J., Chicago
Does someone have a recipe for chilled avocado soup?
M.L.M., Arlington Heights
I'm trying to find the recipe for a cream pie popular in the '70s. I think it was called Polynesian and contained several puddings, crushed pineapple and coconut.
B.W., Deerfield
Send recipes and requests to: Swap Shop, Chicago Sun-Times, 350 N. Orleans, 9th Floor, Chicago 60654 or by e-mail, swapshop@suntimes.com. All mail must include a daytime telephone number. Sorry, requests can't be answered personally.