When I make any dishes associated with picnics/barbecues/parties, I like to be adventurous and think outside the box, but this Fourth of July, my husband was sick and we didn’t end up going to any parties, so I decided to make some more “traditional” dishes so we could still experience some of the fun.
I will start off by saying that mayonnaise is for sure my most hated condiment. I detest the smell, taste, and texture, and anytime I order food that comes with it, I ask for it to be left off. However, I never really had a huge problem with potato salad for some mysterious reason. Although I prefer a vinegar-based dressing, I decided to give mayo a try. I browsed some recipes online for ideas and then came up with this based on our taste preferences. It definitely leans toward a traditional potato salad style. It came out much better than I expected it to, and I am pleasantly surprised enough to make it again.
For this dish (serves 6), you will need:
- 6 medium potatoes (I used Russets because they were on sale, but I usually like a red or Yukon gold)
- 1 red onion
- 1 stalk of celery
- 1 stalk of green onion or garlic scape
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Dijon or prepared yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons dill pickle relish
- 2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used avocado oil)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- several dashes of hot sauce, to taste
First, I peeled and chopped the potatoes. I chopped them into relatively uniform, bite-size pieces so that they cooked evenly. I gently boiled them in salted water until they were fork tender.
While the potatoes were cooking, I finely diced the red onion, celery, and garlic scape. I prefer green onion for this recipe, but that was what I had on hand and it worked well. I try to cut the pieces as small as possible so that no one ends up with a huge chunk of red onion, as raw red onion is a bit strong.
After chopping the vegetables, I hard-boiled the eggs. What I usually do is add the eggs to cold, salted water and turn the burner to a medium/high heat. I let it go for 12 minutes (it comes to a high boil) and then remove from heat and cover for several more minutes and then rinse them in cold water. They always end up cooked well and easy to peel.
Once the potatoes were cooked, I drained them and added them to a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
If you prefer a chunkier potato salad, mix gently with a flat spatula designed for spreading. I do not mind a mashed consistency, so I just mixed with a regular spoon.
After mixing, I tasted the potato salad and added a little more seasoning. This dish is good to make ahead as storing it overnight helps the flavors to marry. I think this would also be good with diced jalapeno, which I plan to add next time! As always, these dishes are easy to customize and very versatile. To make this vegan, you can use a vegan mayo and use a plant-based soy egg or tofu.
I did end up walking around the neighborhood a little later to see some fireworks and of course I started watching Stranger Things 3, but it ended up being an okay day for not being at a celebration, and I guess I’ll probably be in charge of the potato salad for future gatherings!
Breeanna Living Brilliantly 