# Potato Salad



## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 8, 2013)

My father's recipe. Not only is this my wife's favorite, it's also mine. I could eat the entire batch by myself.

First, the dressing.

2 cups mayonnaise
5 tbs. Dijon mustard
1 tbs. Prepared yellow mustard
1/2  tsp. Tabasco sauce
1/4  tsp. Fresh ground pepper

Prepare dressing by mixing all ingredients; refrigerate while preparing the potato salad ingredients.


Ingredients for the salad

2 lbs. New red potatoes
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1 cup chopped green onion (including tops) -- about 1 bunch
2 oz. Chopped pimentos
2 cups chopped kosher dill pickles (Polish dills
may be substituted)
8 hard boiled eggs -- reserve 2 eggs for
garnish, chop 6 coarsely


Wash potatoes, but do not peel.  Remove only blemishes from the surface of the potatoes.  Steam the new potatoes until just tender (about 25 - 30 minutes).  Cool and cut into bite sized pieces.
Combine potatoes with all ingredients, except the dressing, in a large mixing bowl. Toss salad and enough dressing to coat all ingredients thoroughly. Serve warm or chilled as desired.

Serves 8
(6 if I'm at the table)


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## Dawgluver (Jun 8, 2013)

Love me a good potato salad, thanks Stinky!


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## Kylie1969 (Jun 8, 2013)

SS, this sounds really nice, thank you


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jun 8, 2013)

AS a kid I never was fond of potato salad.  Usually, at our picnics, there was too much other, really great food, for me to bother with boring old potato salad.  And then I became an adult, and started liking the flavor of raw onion.

Had your recipe been served at out picnics, I might have thought differently.  It's very similar to what we make, except DW insists that i peel off the cooked skin.  Me, I'm fond of the skin.  Ya just have to pick your battles.

Nice recipe.  Thanks.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jun 8, 2013)

Yum, really nice recipe, thanks!


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## Kylie1969 (Jun 21, 2013)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Had your recipe been served at out picnics, I might have thought differently.  It's very similar to what we make, except DW insists that i peel off the cooked skin.  Me, I'm fond of the skin.  Ya just have to pick your battles.



I am used to having potato salad with the skin removed, but I have had some with the skin on and they were lovely!


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## kadesma (Jun 25, 2013)

Made you recipe for the family. All loved it. It will be made again and again.
kades


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## Bmhughes89 (Jun 25, 2013)

Kylie1969 said:


> I am used to having potato salad with the skin removed, but I have had some with the skin on and they were lovely!



Potatoes that are more waxy don't need the skin removed. Potatoes that are good like this are red potatoes. Either way I'd recommend boiling the potatoes with the skin on to prevent loss of starch and flavor and to prevent moisture absorption.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 25, 2013)

Nothing pleases me more than someone enjoying my food or my recipes. This is a good day.


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## Kylie1969 (Jul 20, 2013)

Bmhughes89 said:


> Potatoes that are more waxy don't need the skin removed. Potatoes that are good like this are red potatoes. Either way I'd recommend boiling the potatoes with the skin on to prevent loss of starch and flavor and to prevent moisture absorption.



Thanks so much for the tip BM


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## Bmhughes89 (Jul 20, 2013)

Kylie1969 said:


> Thanks so much for the tip BM



Waxy potatoes are immature potatoes with a thinner skin and hold their form better so no need to skin them


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## Kylie1969 (Jul 21, 2013)

Cheers BM


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## CWS4322 (Jul 21, 2013)

I like to use a variety of small potatoes--we plant a Russian blue, a red one (I think it is Norland) and either Kennebecs or Yukon Gold. I cut them in half after they are cooked and leave the skins one...that reminds me, I probably should start looking for baby potatoes in the garden...I often use a mayo based dressing or an oil-vinegar dressing with fresh herbs. Your potato salad sounds great--I'll have to give that a try.


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## CWS4322 (Aug 3, 2019)

CWS4322 said:


> I like to use a variety of small potatoes--we plant a Russian blue, a red one (I think it is Norland) and either Kennebecs or Yukon Gold. I cut them in half after they are cooked and leave the skins one...that reminds me, I probably should start looking for baby potatoes in the garden...I often use a mayo based dressing or an oil-vinegar dressing with fresh herbs. Your potato salad sounds great--I'll have to give that a try.




I was looking for a basic discussion on potato salad. Picked this one because this is pretty much how the "Kitchen Nazi" as I now call my Dad likes his. On my 14-day rotation I either have to make potato salad or pasta. This week it was a potato salad. Can't add hot sauce, can't add smoked paprika, so it is pretty boring. I usually have to use sweet relish, pantry police didn't stock it, so resorted to dill pickles. I saw something on a cooking show awhile back where the person cooked or marinated chicken or fish in dill pickle juice...since I have a bucket of dill pickles with lots of pickle juice, decided to cook the potatoes in that. Definitely added a subtle tanginess. Two of the things I learned when working as a prep cook: (1) toss warm potatoes with a bit of oil, spread on parchment lined prep sheet, pop in freezer for 30 minutes. (2) Put cooked, drained hard boiled eggs in pan with cold water, put in freezer for 20 minutes. Stops the cooking and helps chill the eggs. The reason for (1) is that the chilled potatoes will absorb less of the dressing so that you don't end up with dry potato salad. Same is true when making pasta salad. We used to toss the pasta with oil, put it in the walk-in (covered) and make the salad the next day.


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## blissful (Aug 3, 2019)

Good to see you back CWS. Great tips. Thanks.


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## CWS4322 (Aug 3, 2019)

Good to be back, blissful. Miss my garden in Ontario. That was definitely a source of lot of culinary inspiration for me. Definitely don't have the mojo for being creative the kitchen that I once had. I have to sneak little bits of creativity in when the KN (a/k/a my Dad) isn't looking. I do have an AF which I have been having a bit of fun with--not allowed to fry anything--grease could get on the ceiling or walls. Miss my pantry. Miss the food selection in Ottawa. This too shall pass. Someday I will be able to go Home again. To quote a popular CW song: "But I miss me most." 

However, I am blessed to still have my parents in my life. It is the little things that matter. As Addie used to say, (paraphrasing) don't let your life be about 'if onlies'.


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## Andy M. (Aug 3, 2019)

CWS4322 said:


> ...The reason for (1) is that the chilled potatoes will absorb less of the dressing so that you don't end up with dry potato salad. Same is true when making pasta salad. We used to toss the pasta with oil, put it in the walk-in (covered) and make the salad the next day.



Interesting. I toss the still warm potatoes with the dressing specifically so the flavors of the dressing ARE absorbed into the potatoes. I avoid dry salad by making enough dressing to accommodate this.


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## taxlady (Aug 3, 2019)

Andy M. said:


> Interesting. I toss the still warm potatoes with the dressing specifically so the flavors of the dressing ARE absorbed into the potatoes. I avoid dry salad by making enough dressing to accommodate this.



Same here.


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## GotGarlic (Aug 3, 2019)

Andy M. said:


> Interesting. I toss the still warm potatoes with the dressing specifically so the flavors of the dressing ARE absorbed into the potatoes. I avoid dry salad by making enough dressing to accommodate this.


I do the same. This way, you have a lot of flavor *in* the potatoes and not just *on* the potatoes.


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## msmofet (Aug 3, 2019)

I toss my warm/hot potatoes in white vinegar and allow to sit a few minutes to give them a tang. Then dress.


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## CWS4322 (Aug 3, 2019)

msmofet said:


> I toss my warm/hot potatoes in white vinegar and allow to sit a few minutes to give them a tang. Then dress.


I like to do ACV. I didn't today because I used the pickle juice to cook the potatoes. When the housekeeper/caregiver person makes potato salad, it is always dry. I have to add more dressing before serving. She doesn't oil the potatoes and mixes the potato salad when the potatoes are still warm. The tricks I learned were from Red Seal chefs. My potato salad always turns out. When I make it at Home, I am more ummm creative.


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## CWS4322 (Aug 3, 2019)

ACV = apple cider vinegar


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## CharlieD (Aug 5, 2019)

As long as potato are cut into bite size, it's ok. Of course what is really "bite size"? To me it is no more than 3/8 cube. Sometimes I see potato salad where potato cut into quarters and are nearly 3/4 to 1 inch in size. Disgusting.


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