This is my version of my mother’s potato salad. It’s more of a memory than a recipe. Serves 6.
THE POTATOES
One pound (#1) Yukon Gold potatoes, skin on. New potatoes work, too. Mom used peeled russet potatoes.
Fill a pot with cold, salted water. As you cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces, put into the water. When all the potatoes are in the pot, bring the water to a boil. After it comes to a boil, start checking the potatoes after 10 minutes. You want the potatoes cooked but not mushy.
Drain and place in a large boil. Immediately splash with rice-wine vinegar (seasoned is nice), about 2 TBS. If you do not have rice-wine vinegar, use white vinegar with a little salt and sugar added. When cool enough, place uncovered in the refrigerator to get cold.
THE EGGS
Hard boil 4 eggs. I hard-boil eggs by steaming them for 17 minutes and then immediately cooling them off in ice water for 5 minutes. Peel and refrigerate.
THE CRUNCH
Fine-dice vegetables while the potatoes and eggs get cold. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to assemble. The only essentials, in my view, are celery and onion. Here are the vegetables I used today:
- 4-5 celery sticks
- ½ tiny red onion (It is best to be conservative at first, until you know how much onion you like. White, yellow or green onions work, too.)
- 5 “mini” bell peppers (I used red and orange)
- 4-5 small radishes
THE GOOP
- Miracle Whip salad dressing, to be authentic. Mayonnaise will do. Start with a good glop, maybe a generous 1/3 cup. Better to need to add more than to have drowned potato salad.
- Henri’s Tastee salad dressing is the secret ingredient. Maybe 2 TBS. You can substitute a Cole-slaw dressing like “Marie’s,” adding celery seed. Or skip and add vinegar, yellow mustard, and celery seed to the Miracle Whip or Mayo.
THE ASSEMBLY
- Top the potatoes with roughly chopped eggs. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
- Add the goop and mix to combine. Until you get used to it, mix the goop in a separate bowl and add to potato mixture a little at a time.
- Add the vegetables. Taste and season more, if needed. It usually is needed.
Refrigerate until good and cold. Sprinkle with sweet paprika to be fancy.
—Sue Edison-Swift(4/28/2020)
