Potluck Stamp of Approval: Cold-Fashioned Potato Salad

As I’ve mentioned before, we are huge fans of Alton Brown’s ‘Good Eats’ show.  So when I needed to make potato salad for a family function, I turned to the “Good Eats: The Early Years” cookbook.  There I found the perfect potato salad recipe that blended traditional and German styles, plus doesn’t use egg (I love eggs but generally not a fan of “eggy” potato salads).

The problem was though that a) I didn’t have red potatoes, I only had white and b) I needed much more than the 4 to 6 servings that Alton’s recipe made.    So, I did a little bit of improvising and doubling.  For the original recipe, go HERE.  The recipe below will make 5 lbs, perfect for a larger gathering.   We found it to be really flavorful and delicious — especially with the use of the tarragon!

Cold-Fashioned Potato Salad

• 3/12-4 lbs of potatoes
• 4 Tbs cider vinegar
•  1 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tsp ground dry mustard
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley
• 2 1/2 tsp dry tarragon
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup red onion, diced
• 3/4 cup celery, finely diced
• cracked pepper (to taste)
• kosher salt (to taste)

If using white potatoes, peel potatoes and boil in large pot until they are fork tender.  You don’t want to over cook these.  Drain in a colander and place in an ice bath to cool for 2 to 3 minutes.

Slice potatoes into rounds using a chef’s knife.  Place the potatoes in a zip-top bag, add the vinegar and toss to coat.  Place bag in the refrigerator overnight.  This allows the vinegar to soak into the potatoes and improves the flavor.

Combine the mayonnaise and ground mustard.  Then add the parsley and tarragon and combine thoroughly.  Add the garlic, red onion, and celery.  Finally, add the potatoes and mix until completely coated.  Add cracked pepper and kosher salt to taste.

Let potato salad chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.

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