July 2012

I think there are  a few reasons that I love potato salad. 1. It tastes a little reminiscent of a deviled egg. 2. It has mustard in it. Mustard is one of my favorite condiments. 3. It has chunks of egg in it. The chunks of egg have always been my favorite part. When I was a little kid, I remember digging through the potato salad in search of the eggs. There was such disappointment when I thought I found an egg and bit in to a piece of cucumber or potato. Not what I was looking for. 

My potato salad has changed over the years. It is different than the potato salad from my childhood in that I use nonfat Greek yogurt in place of some mayonnaise or sour cream. I still use some olive oil mayonnaise but to add the creaminess so necessary to a good potato salad, I add a half of an avocado to the dressing. My changes yield a similar product. It is creamy and delicious and, most importantly, contains lots of hardboiled egg pieces. 

My grandma used regular potatoes when she made her potato salad however, I like to use small potatoes. I tend to use fingerlings because I like the flavor of them. If I happen to have visited Trader Joe’s recently, I will use teeny tiny potatoes. The potatoes should be boiled in salted water until fork tender. 

Just drain them and let them cool. Also, hard boil 4 eggs while the potatoes are boiling. If you are unfamiliar with hard boiling eggs, just put them in a sauce pan and fill the pan with cold water until the egg is almost covered. Bring the eggs to a boil and place a cover on the pan. Turn off the heat and allow to sit in the hot water for 20 minutes. Then, dump out the hot water and replace it with cold water. You can use an ice bath if you are pressed for time. 

While the eggs and potatoes are cooking, I mix the dressing. I start with 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, 1/3 cup of Greek yogurt, 1/2 of a smashed avocado, and 1-2 teaspoons of yellow mustard. I love mustard in my potato salad so I tend to use 2 teaspoons. I also add 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 teaspoons of both garlic powder and onion powder, and 2 tablespoons of chopped chives. 

Then, stir to combine. Start chopping the cucumber. I like to deseeded it before I chop it so that the finished product doesn’t get too watery. 

I usually use about a half of a cucumber, depending on the size. I also add 2-3 radishes, sliced. 

I cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and dice the eggs. Then I add a can of diced chiles as well as salt and pepper to taste. 

Stir well to combine. 

Serve with your favorite summertime meal and enjoy. This makes 4-6 servings.