Carolyns Potato Salad Recipes

JACK'S POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Place washed unpeeled potatoes in a large pot and cover with water to about 6 inches above potatoes. Add one tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce to a medium boil and boil for 30 to 40 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes. Prick with a fork to tell when they are done.
• While potatoes are cooking, bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add the 1 ½ tablespoons of white vinegar, and gently add the whole eggs in with a slotted spoon being careful not to crack the shells. Boil rapidly for five minutes. Turn off heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water for 15 minutes.
• Drain the eggs and shake the pan back and forth to crack the shells. Under running water remove the shells. Roughly chop the eggs in large pieces and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix the other 1 ½ tablespoons of white vinegar, cider vinegar, onions, celery salt, pepper, poppy seeds, sugar, mustard and mayonnaise. Set aside and refrigerate.
• Mix both oils together in a measuring cup or other small container.
• Once the potatoes are cooked, leave them in the hot water and remove one at a time with a slotted spoon to your cutting board. Cut potatoes into chunks and place in large bowl.
• Once you are a quarter of the way through cutting the hot potatoes, pour one quarter of the mixed oil over the cut potatoes and gently combine. Continue with cutting and oiling until all of the oil and potatoes are in the large bowl.
• Add the mayonnaise mixture to the hot oiled potatoes and gently mix. Add the cooked eggs and gently mix.
• Now pour the entire contents out onto a sheet pan spreading evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled to below 40 degrees. Once cool enough remove potato salad to your serving container and enjoy.
• If serving this outside, try to keep shaded and, as an added precaution, place a bowl of ice (larger than the bowl you are using) under the bowl of potato salad to keep it chilled while serving. Place leftovers in the refrigerator as soon as you have finished serving.

CAROL'S POTATO SALAD FOR A CROWD

Steps:

• 1. The night before you want to make the potato salad, or earlier in the day, boil the potatoes until JUST done. Set aside to cool or refrigerate overnight.
• 2. While you're at it, hard-boil the 4 eggs and cool.
• 3. When it's finally time to make the potato salad, peel the potatoes and cut into chunks into an extra large bowl. (Mom often used a roasting pan for mixing up her potato salad.) If you use redskin potatoes, you can leave the skins on, if you want. The size of the chunks is purely up to you. I've even seen potatoes cut into slices for potato salad, but not at my Mom's house.
• 4. Peel the boiled eggs. Save one boiled egg to decorate the top later. Chop the other 3 into the bowl with the potato chunks.
• 5. Add the sliced celery, diced onion, and pickle pieces to the potatoes and eggs.
• 6. FOR THE DRESSING: Spoon out 1/2 of the quart of Hellman's mayo (2 cups) into a large measuring cup or jar. Add the mustard, vinegar, milk, sugar, and celery seed. Then mix or shake until well-blended. Taste and adjust any ingredients to make it perfect for you, as to sweetness/sourness. The final taste of the dressing will be tweaked by the onion, celery, and pickles.
• 7. Pour SOME (maybe half?) of the dressing over the potatoes and other ingredients, then mix thoroughly, taking care not to "mush" the potatoes too much. Unless you like them that way, then mush away! Was this enough dressing or do you like more, remembering that the potatoes will soak up some of the dressing? Add more dressing, as to your personal preference. In our family, we like a LOT of dressing in our potato salad, so we use most or all of what's made. If you are unsure, use less, then chill the potato salad for awhile and taste it again. You can always add MORE salad dressing, if you want it, but you can't use LESS after the fact. Right?
• 8. Once Mom was satisfied with the potato salad vs. dressing ratio, she would spoon the potato salad into her big yellow bowl, then decorate the top with slices of that last boiled egg and sprinkles of paprika "for pretty." I also like pimento-stuffed green olives on top of the potato salad, but I'm a rebel that way. =^..^=
• 9. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 2 hours or more until serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.

CLASSIC POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Set the potatoes in a large pot; add 1 tablespoon salt and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Set over high heat and cook just until fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. (You still want the potatoes to still have some shape to avoid turning the dish into mashed potatoes.) Drain potatoes, and set them aside to cool.
• As potatoes cool, make the dressing: To a large bowl, add mayonnaise, relish, mustard and granulated onion; whisk to combine.
• Add the potatoes to the dressing, along with the diced hard-boiled eggs, and celery, if using; stir gently to combine. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
• Chill for at least 2 hours, and up to overnight. Serve cold. Finish with a sprinkle of paprika. Potato salad will keep for 4 days in an airtight container.

POTATO SALAD WITH CELERY AND SCALLIONS

Steps:

• Set a steamer basket in a large saucepan. Fill with enough water to come just below basket. Bring to a boil; place potatoes in basket, and reduce to a simmer. Cover, and steam until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together oil, mustard, and vinegar. Add celery, scallions, and hot potatoes, and season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Cool to room temperature, tossing occasionally, about 1 hour.