Simple Potato Salad
Everyone’s in picnic mode for Independence Day, I am sure. You’ve probably already chosen your recipes for hamburgers, baked beans, a green salad, potato salad and whatever else might be on your buffet of barbeque must-haves. I love a good potato salad but so many of them simply have too much mayonnaise which doesn’t allow the wonderful flavor of potatoes to come out. Or, for me, they just have too much ‘stuff’ in them; cucumbers, green peppers, pimientos.
The cookbook I gleaned my potato salad recipe from was given to me by my father when I started Home Economics in the seventh grade. I’d give you the date but I think admitting I was in Home Economics should date me well enough. It’s so worn that the spine is duck taped but he inscribed a sweet message on the inside cover so it’s a treasure to me. Plus, whenever I’m looking for a recipe that I think won’t be in this book, it always is. It’s become something of a game for me, I suppose. The more years I cook, the more confidence I gain and adapt the recipes to my liking but they provide the basis of, say, my spaghetti sauce recipe which didn’t originally have red wine in it but, hey, what doesn’t taste better with wine added to it?
Speaking of, I was at my sister’s in Seattle again over the weekend and brought up a Sauvignon Blanc that was so nice we bought a couple more bottles while we were there. Starborough Sauvignon Blanc is not an expensive wine (I purchased it for $12 at Fred Meyer) but it has a green apple crispness with a hint of spice that was refreshing over these last scorching days we all endured. Starborough Sauvignon Blanc is from New Zealand, more specifically Marlborough which is one of the top growing regions for Sauvignon Blanc. Due to its minerality, I’d say it’d even pair well with potato salad.
Potato Salad
6 lb medium potatoes
Dressing:
2 C mayonnaise
5 tsp onion powder
2/3 C sliced sweet pickles
1/3 C sweet pickle juice
3 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 ½ Tbsp salt (more to taste)
3 stalks celery, chopped
2.5 – 3 oz sliced olives
2 tsp paprika
In boiling salted water to cover, cook unpared potatoes, covered, just until tender – about 30 min (test at 20-25). Drain; refrigerate until cold (about 20 min). In large bowl, combine dressing ingredients; mix well. Peel potatoes; cut into 1-inch cubes. Add to the dressing; toss until potatoes are well coated. Refrigerate, covered, until well chilled -several hours or overnight. Makes 12 servings.
Adapted from The New McCalls’s Cookbook First Edition Delicatessen Deluxe Potato Salad
Viki
I am a Clark County native. I am Level 2 WSET (wine and spirit education trust)-certified and enjoy pairing wine with my passion for travel and fondness of food. My most prized possessions are the memories of places I've been with my husband, the chance encounters we've been blessed to have along the way and my carry-on bag. I can often be seen around town and in tasting rooms with our two beautiful, double-Merle Australian shepherds, Challenge and Baby Girl.