Potato salad is kind of like that great-aunt that you occasionally visit. I mean, you know, we all have those relatives that we don’t visit enough. It’s tough to admit that we don’t slow down enough to enjoy the old-fashioned pleasures in life of chatting, reminiscing, and eating potato salad. But today is a great day to make up for lost time.
Potato Salad is for Family Gatherings
Most of us grew up eating potato salad at family gatherings. It’s economical and feeds a crowd. I can’t have barbecue without potato salad. Can you?
There are a couple of tricks to making potato salad. First, the potatoes have to be boiled, but not boiled into a mush. There is a point in their cooking process when they can be pierced with a fork, but still have a tiny bit of firmness. In my experience, the proper texture can be reached after 20 minutes of simmering. Leaving the potatoes whole while you boil helps, but larger potatoes will take longer to cook than smaller potatoes. Just be vigilant.
The second trick is to make it the day before your meal. Potatoes are absorbent. If they are not given enough time to marinate in the seasonings, mayo and vinegar, the salad will taste like lumps of boiled potatoes swimming in disappointment. This recipe will seem a bit soupy when you first make it, but after chilling in the fridge overnight, you will have a lovely creamy side dish with a beautiful marriage of flavors.
Invent Your Own Famous Potato Salad
Don’t consider this the “end all and be all” recipe. This is a basic recipe where you can add your personal riffs. Your potato salad has the potential to be famous. Add more jalapeños, top with bacon, add a couple of chopped boiled eggs or even some slivered almonds. Tweak this recipe so that you can call it your own. And then take some over to your great-aunt. You know she already loves it.
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