ZUCCHINI SALAD WITH POTATOES, BOILED EGGS, AND RED ONION

Zucchini Salad with Potatoes, Boiled Eggs, and Red Onion image

Yield serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/2 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (2 small potatoes are best)
1 pound small Poached Whole Zucchini (see main recipe), or 5 or 6 small tender uncooked zucchini
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 small-medium red onion, cut in thin half-moons (about 2/3 cup)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps:

Put the whole, unpeeled potatoes in a pot of boiling unsalted water to cover. Bring to a boil, cooking steadily-but not violently-for 20-25 minutes. Test for doneness-the potatoes should be easily pierced with a fork. Don't let them crack or get mushy on the outside.
When they are just cooked through, remove them, sprinkle the 1/4 teaspoon salt over them, and let cool.
If you are using uncooked zucchini, cook them along with the potatoes, removing them after 20 minutes.
Trim the ends of the zucchini and cut them crosswise into rounds, about 1/2 inch thick. (If the squash are "fat," first slice them lengthwise to form half-round or quarter-round pieces.) Peel the potatoes and cut roughly into 1-inch chunks, about the size of the zucchini pieces. Peel the eggs and cut into wedges.
To finish the salad, toss the squash and potato pieces together in a bowl, scatter the egg wedges and onion slices on top, and toss lightly. Drizzle over all the olive oil and the vinegar, sprinkle on the salt and grinds of pepper, and toss thoroughly to distribute the seasonings.
Serve right away.
Zucchini are most flavorful and appealing when they are young and firm. For all the dishes in this chapter, choose unblemished squash, about 6 inches long and no fatter than 2 inches in diameter. Three zucchini of this ideal size weigh about 1 pound.