Sunday, June 6, 2010

Grandma's Potato Salad

This is one of the first recipes I mentioned wanting to put up here, and since the crickets have been chirping here for months... I figured I would go back and actually do it. I want to get started putting up more regular posts.

Usually I am very careful about Following The Recipe. I don't do well just tossing stuff in a bowl. However, that tends to be how grandmas cook, and since this recipe is hers, I don't have measurements. With something like potato salad though, you can't really mess it up. Just taste it as you go along and make sure it's the way you like it, and you'll be fine.

So. You will need:

  • a pot full of potatoes. it depends on how big they are. generally I end up with between 7-9.
  • radishes. Yes, I know that's weird. But they're so crunchy and good in this salad! I don't LOVE the flavor, so I only put in around 4 or 5, cut very small.
  • dill pickle. Pickles are my friend so I chop way more than most people probably would. I like Claussen best.
  • red onion. I go by how the colors look in the bowl, depending on how much of the other ingredients I end up with. 1/2 to 1 onion, I'd say.
  • mayo, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste
  • hard boiled eggs if you like them. I HATE THEM so I always leave them out. My mom said she puts around 5 in there.
Peel the potatoes and then boil them whole in a pot of water till they are fork tender. They'll fall apart a little and that's fine, but try to save the pieces. Cool them and slice them very thinly into a big bowl. Salt every layer as you put them in there. Salt them way more than you think you need to, because those puppies suck it up like nobody's business. (and if you ever use a bread machine and want to make potato bread, you can save that starchy potato-y water and use it in place of the regular water and it makes killer bread!!)

Then put in all the other stuff, chopped very small, and stir in the mayo and mustard. I don't put much mustard- just a big shot from the bottle.

It's better if you make it ahead of time so you can chill it and let the flavors meld, but I never do. We love it too much to wait. :)