Basic Potato Salad Recipe
By
Lisa Lavery
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No summertime soiree is complete without a heaping bowl of potato salad gracing the table—it’s the perfect warm-weather substitute for french fries. Just scoop some next to your smoked baby back ribs or fried chicken, pop open an ice-cold beer, and grab a seat on the deck.
What to buy: Make sure to purchase waxy potatoes, such as red-skinned or new potatoes, as they contain less starch than russets or Kennebecs and will retain their shape after cooking.
Game plan: You can cook the potatoes and eggs up to a day in advance and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the salad.
This recipe was featured as part of our Make Your Own Mustard project.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 pounds waxy potatoes, such as red-skinned or new potatoes, scrubbed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 celery stalk, small dice (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 cup Whole-Grain Dijon Mustard
- 1/4 cup dill relish
- 1/3 cup scallions (from about 1/2 bunch), thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for salting the cooking water
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place the potatoes and eggs in a large pot filled with heavily salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the eggs are hard-boiled, about 12 minutes. Remove the eggs to a medium bowl and place them in the sink. Run cold water over the eggs until they’re cool enough to handle; set aside.
- Continue to simmer the potatoes until a paring knife can easily be inserted, about 5 minutes more. Drain the potatoes in a colander in the sink and allow them to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a baking sheet or large plate and arrange them in a single layer. Place the eggs next to the potatoes on the baking sheet and refrigerate everything until completely cooled, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, place the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine; refrigerate until you’re ready to finish assembling the salad.
- When the eggs and potatoes have cooled, peel the eggs and grate them on the large holes of a box grater over the bowl with the mayonnaise mixture; set aside.
- Remove the skin from the cooled potatoes with your hands or a paring knife. (For a more rustic potato salad, you can leave the skins on.) Using your hands, break the potatoes into large chunks (about 3/4-inch pieces) and add them to the bowl with the eggs and mayonnaise mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the potatoes and eggs into the mayonnaise mixture until evenly combined and well-coated. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
The best thing I've ever done to improve my potato salad is to toss them with some vinegar while they're still warm before adding the dressing. It's a technique from Cooks Illustrated and really brings out the potato flavour.
I think boiling potatoes is problematic - potatoes are different sizes and can be done at different times and they can easily become water logged. I have switched to steaming the potatoes - I leave the skins on, cube them up and steam until tender. Works perfectly every time.