Potato salad is not unique to the South, or even the United States. It is said that the potato salad we are familiar with in the United States most likely originated in Europe. I remember a former co-worker from Poland describing how she prepared Polish Potato Salad, or Salatka Kartofli, which involved cutting the potatoes and other vegetables into tiny cubes. In fact, the recipe for Polish Potato Salad is very similar to my Southern Style Potato Salad recipe presented below.
There are many versions of potato salad; some with mayonnaise and some without; some savory and some sweet; and some with non-traditional ingredients like apple, or sweet potatoes (instead of white potatoes). My version of potato salad is based on how my mother prepares it, which is typical of what you would experience in the South, specifically North Carolina.
Like most home cooks, my mother does not follow a recipe. I had to develop one on my own based on her ingredients (which have changed since I first developed the recipe a few years ago) and how “good” tastes to me. If you like potato salad sweet, you should enjoy this basic recipe.
Ingredients
5 medium white potatoes
1-2 tablespoons of salt
4 hard-boiled eggs
2 tablespoons diced onion
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
3 tablespoons sweet salad cubes
7 tablespoons Miracle Whip salad
dressing
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1 dash each of celery seed and
coarse ground black pepper
Fresh or dried parsley for
garnishing (celery leaves in photo)
Paprika for garnishing
Steps
Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place in a 2 quart pot. Add salt and enough cold water to completely cover the potatoes. Boil the potatoes until you are able to stick a fork into them and they do not fall apart. If the cubes are mushy, stop here and continue with your favorite mashed potatoes recipe!
Drain potatoes and let cool. Fold in onion, salad cubes, salad dressing and mustard; being careful not to mash the potatoes. Taste before adding the sugar. Add more or less sugar according to your taste. Add celery seed and coarse ground pepper to taste. Cut into cubes 3 hard-boiled eggs and fold them into the mixture (see How to Make Hard-Boiled Eggs below). Transfer mixture to a serving dish.
Cut remaining egg length-wise into thin slices and place on top of mixture. Sprinkle paprika and parsley on top and refrigerate. Serves 8.
How to Make Hard-Boiled Eggs
Cover eggs with cold water in a small pot. Bring to a boil and let the eggs boil for 10 minutes. I set a timer as soon as the water starts to boil. Once the eggs are boiled, immediately remove from heat and drain. Cover with cold water, replace lid and shake pot vigorously until you see cracks in the egg shells. Drain water and remove shells.
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