Dad's Homemade Potato Salad

Dad's Homemade Potato Salad

You know there are certain foods that rush over you in a swarm of memories. For me, and probably all of my siblings my Dad and: Potato Salad, Chili and Ham are one of those. It being a holiday weekend that he never forgot, I woke up missing him. Potato Salad was my fix.

Dad's had a taste that was just better than other potato salads. He swore that his secret was not really a secret. But until I started emulating him, my potato salad was just yuck. Dad said, "cut it small and don't over cook it." Well, okay.

One day I was visiting while he was making some so I helped. When he said "small"  he wasn't kidding. The potato chunks were small and the onion and celery were beyond minuscule! After I returned home and tried it myself I was amazed at how much of a difference it made. The ingredients themselves weren't that much different but the taste was drastically improved. So here it is, let me know what you think.

• Enough potatoes to fill a medium sized colander (peeled and washed)
• 1 medium sized onion, finely diced
• 2 large stalks of celery, finely diced
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed (sometimes I add a little more at the end, according to taste)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1) After you have peeled and washed your potatoes, cut them into 4 or 5 with-wise slices. Then cut them into slivers like you were making french fries. You could stop here and fry them as home fries if you wanted BUT since you are making potato salad go on and cut them yet again into little squares. Rinse them again when you are done chopping them It helps to eliminate some of the starch.



2) Now chop up your onion and celery stalks as fine as you can get them. Now is the time to practice your awesome knife skills. You can get up quite a rhythm as you chop-chop-chop.

3) Check your potatoes, don't let them get mushy. You want almost al dente... if there is such a thing with potatoes. Slightly crunchy or slightly firm is what you want. Hurry up and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process. Put them into a large mixing bowl.

4) Add your mayonnaise, mustard, celery seed, salt and pepper. Stir using a scoop-drop method NOT a stir as in a batter stir. You will break down the potato if you do. You want to be somewhat gentle and incorporate at the same time.

Wa-la! You are done. Make sure to taste and add a little more seasoning if you need and refrigerate when you are done. Remember that potato salad can only be out on the counter safely 1-2 hours. The temperature danger zone is 41 - 135 degrees Fahrenheit, so unless you hare having a picnic in the snow or you live on the sun your best bet is to refrigerate as soon as possible. Toss it out if there is a hint of question. 

Enjoy!
Kerri Downey

Me, Dad and my sister Tracey - Miss you Dad!