Mustardy Mashed Potato Salad

 

Being a fan of potatoes prepared just about any way imaginable, I make several different kinds of potato salad.  This version is pretty close to the potato salad I grew up with.  The potatoes were always mashed, not cubed.  I was in high school before I ever saw potato salad made from cubed potatoes; it was shocking!  My mother often made potato salad from leftover mashed potatoes. 

I rarely measure when making this kind of potato salad, but I tried to measure just this once and write down the formula.  In my previous career, I made huge tubs of potato salad from time to time, without measuring.  Please take the following recipe as a place to start with potato salad experimentation.  The amount of relish, pimientos, mustard, salt, pepper, and salad dressing depends a lot on personal preference.  I don’t really care for boiled eggs in potato salad, but I included them this time because my mama always put some in the potato salad.  She didn’t put onions in hers, but I like onions.  Some people might prefer sweet relish to dill relish.  I don't add extra salt; the mustard, salad, dressing, and relish make the potato salad salty enough for my taste.

Peeling potatoes seems like a waste of time and fiber and nutrients; I like to use gold potatoes to avoid peeling.  The skins are very tender and cannot be detected in the finished product.  If you like to peel potatoes, go for it; I do peel the potatoes if using russets.  The amounts of relish, mustard, and salad dressing might need to be decreased if you peel potatoes because the yield of cooked potatoes will be less than with unpeeled potatoes.

Mustardy Mashed Potato Salad

3.5 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes

2 hard cooked eggs, coarsely grated

1 (4 oz.) jar chopped pimientos, drained

1 cup finely chopped red onion

2/3 cup dill pickle relish

3 tablespoons mustard

1 cup Miracle Whip salad dressing

Salt and pepper to taste

Paprika to garnish

Wash potatoes, cut into large chunks, and place in 4 quart saucepan.  Add water to a depth of about an inch.  Cover and cook on high heat until boiling.  Reduce heat and cook, still covered, until potatoes reach desired tenderness.  Drain, reserving cooking liquid.  Using a potato masher, mash potatoes, adding cooking liquid as needed.  Add boiled eggs, pimientos, onion, pickle relish, mustard, and salad dressing.  Stir gently.  Add additional salad dressing to reach desired consistency.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Place in 2 quart bowl or dish, dust with paprika, and chill for several hours before serving to allow flavors to blend.  Serves 8.