Potato Salad

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

1. 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...
2. 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.
3. 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. 
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Chill at least 3-4 hours before serving, preferably overnight.

Enjoy!