Old School Potato Salad

Potato Salad I call it old fashion Potato Salad because I like to consider myself Old and Fashioned. So I tweaked this a bit as usual.I went through my cook books and everyone has a different way of making it. When I came to a recipe that called out for Miracle Whip I mean that is not even Mayonnaise to sweet.This is how I have made Potato Salad since the beginning of my cooking time Circa 1979.

I'm sorry my pictures are a few and not like always but I was battery dead between the steps. Everything did come from our garden except the sauces and spices.


Ingredients
8 large potatoes (mine were smaller )
1 cup Mayo
3 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tbsp horseradish
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 cup diced celery
6 radishes chopped
4 hard boiled eggs chopped
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tbsp Paprika and Dill (garnish)

A few notes:

** I make everything for my potato salad a day ahead so it can get good and cold and the flavors meld together. I mix it the morning of the BBQ or when it is to be eaten and let it sit for the day in the re-frig soaking up its flavors.

** If you start with hot water when boiling potatoes/eggs they cook too fast on the outside and get mushy before the middle is cooked. Starting with cold water lets the entire piece of potato get hot along with the water and it cooks through evenly. Ok Potatoes get porous as they cool so sprinkle some vinegar on while they are hot and they will keep the tangy till you mix up the salad. If you want a firmer potato use red skin potatoes. I like plain ole' russet potatoes. The garden ones were tiny!

**Also cook your potatoes to the texture you want. Cooked to long they are mush not cooked enough they are rock like. Keep them fork easy but not fork tender.

**While your potatoes are boiling you can take that time to chop the rest of the ingredient
You might as well do the eggs (same as potato start in cold water)and potatoes at the same time (Separate pots) why heat the kitchen twice. I swear my kitchen is always cooking something I wish I could still wear a bikini. lol................ could you imagine

** All chopping is to bite size the potatoes are the larger and the remaining veggies are small.

** Also if you want to tweak the dressing do it do not be scared to add that is the beauty of cooking but remember you can put stuff in but you can not take it out.

Prep

Chop your potatoes and boil till tender.

Hard boil your eggs (cold water like the potato)

Chop your other ingredients the onion, radish, and celery

Put you chopped veggies in a bowl in the refrigerator

Once your potatoes are cooked strain them let them sit for a bout 5 minutes so the water drains. While your potatoes are still warm sprinkle them with a little cider vinegar or pickle juice they will hold that tang till you mix it up tomorrow.

Now pop them in a bowl and put them in the refrigerator (covered)

The eggs are boiled you can let them cool to room temperature and pop them into the refrigerator also (Chop tomorrow they will be harder when cold and chop easier)

Ok zzzzzzzzz Wake up it is the morning of the next day..

Time to mix the salad



Grab all your ingredients potatoes, eggs, chopped veggies also grab you dressing ingredients.

Shell and chop your hard cooked eggs

In a large bowl put your potatoes, veggies and eggs, no mixing yet.


You do not want to mix to much because potato salad have a habit of breaking down if worked to much.





Lets stir up the dressing

Grab a small bowl and mix your Mayo, vinegar, mustard, horseradish  and red pepper flakes (Optional)
Put all this in the bowl and stir I stir this stuff with a whisk it seems that the whisk makes things seem light....




Ok are you ready I'm so excited add the dressing and mix it all up be gentle there is no rush!

How does it look?

How does it taste?

Now is your time to taste and add what you think might make it better? A little salt ? Pepper? I do not use salt in a lot of my cooking I like people to add there own.


How is It? Let me know.................