Potato Salad. Seems simple enough, but if you are like me, you don't like the crunchies. I'm not interested in diced onion or celery or anything else in the salads I eat. And yes, that means I don't eat regular, or more traditional salads, either. I'm not a rabbit, or at least that's always been my response.
I made this for a small group gathering last night and again was asked for the recipe, so I thought I would just post it here on the blog so it's always available. :) This recipe is adapted from my mom's, with a few minor changes. For one, I use either regular mayonnaise or mayo with olive oil (usually this) instead of salad dressing, which results in a slightly less tangy flavor profile. The other adjustment I've made is one I made a few years ago, and that is to boil the potatoes in water seasoned with dried, minced onions and lots of salt. This infuses the potatoes with the flavors I want to be most prominent, without having to worry about seasoning them after they are done cooking, which is always more of a challenge with potatoes as they absorb things better when hot. So without further ado, here you go.
Ingredients
5 lbs of red potatoes
6 hard boiled eggs
2/3 to 3/4 of a jar of mayo, any kind, as long as it's mayo (I prefer w/ olive oil)
1/8 cup dried, minced onion
2-3 Tbsp. Sea Salt
2-3 tsp. Mustard, traditional prepared
1/8 tsp. Mustard powder
1/8 tsp. Garlic powder
1/16 tsp. Black pepper
Paprika, smoked or regular is fine, and this will be used at the very end to top it
Instructions
- Put the 6 eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat off and put a lid on. Leave pan on the burner with the lid on for 10 minutes (12 if you have a gas stove), then take the lid off, place the pan in the sink and let cool water run over it for the next 5 minutes or so. While all this is happening...
- Peel potatoes and dice into about 1/2" squares. They don't have to be exact, but these will be the bites you are eating, and this helps them cook faster and absorb the flavors better.
- Place potatoes into a large pot, covered with about 2" of water. Add in the minced onion and sea salt and turn on high. Once this comes to a boil, the potatoes will take 12-14 minutes to cook.
- While the potatoes are boiling, you should now be able to peel the eggs as they should be completely cool. Slice them into the size you want in the salad. I slice mine into thirds lengthwise, then once or twice across the middle. I often will take one or two of the eggs and just slice them across the width so there are a few larger slices in the salad, plus they make a nice accent.
- Once the potatoes are done, drain them in a colander and place them in a large bowl for prep (can also be your serving bowl). Immediately add in the mayo. The amount you need will depend a bit on how well things absorb, but you should use at least 2/3 of the jar and perhaps more. Top with 2-3 teaspoons of mustard (this is the squeeze bottle or jar) and stir gently with a spatula until well-mixed.
- Now add the mustard powder, garlic powder and black pepper and stir again. Taste it at this point. If you feel it should be a little more tangy, add a little more prepared mustard or mustard powder. This is entirely up to your tastes.
- Once you have the flavor profile you like, dust the top, very lightly, with either some paprika or smoked paprika. If you used smoked, use a little less.
- Chill at least 3-4 hours before serving, preferably overnight.
Enjoy!
