Thursday, June 12, 2014

Potato salad, in the pressure cooker. I'm about to revolutionize the way you make the classic summer gathering food. NOW you can make it for a gang of 50 or as a simple side for one. It's not banished to party land any more.


I am about to revolutionize the way you make potato salad.  

I love potato salad and only ever eat it when there's going to be a happening of substantial size at my house.  I make to take to parties, in enormous bowls, garnished with herbs and cherry tomatoes (if I'm feeling radical).  

I make a pretty classic, simple, straight forward potato salad.  Some things shouldn't be shushed up or tarted out of what made them classics to begin with.  


This isn't a recipe to change what you put in your salad but rather, how you make it.  Grab a glass of wine, let's begin: 

TRACY'S PRESSURE COOKER POTATO SALAD, For ONE OR For 50

Ingredients:

potatoes, waxy white or red ones, as many as you need
1 russet potato, just a small one, trust me
eggs, as many as you want in your salad
the dressing you prefer
OR make your own with
mayonnaise
mustard
aioli if you have any
celery, green onions, regular onions (diced small and rinsed in ice water),
vinegar, apple cider is my preferred choice
water
sugar
salt, pepper, herbs that you love

LONG winded directions, with pictures

IN your pressure cooker, put some water, about 2 cups and a steamer rack.  I use one of those flower types.  

CUT your potatoes into potato salad sized chunks.  Skin on or off, your choice.  You MUST use waxy potatoes, russets will fall apart.  THAT being said, one russet in the mix makes the dressing creamier and thicker so if you want a softer mouth feel, add one, also cut small.  Nestle your eggs into the potatoes at the top.  I have 4 lbs of potatoes so I am using 3.  When I do this for just me, I use one.

LOCK AND LOAD, 4 minutes, oh look at the before and after shot.  I open when the timer goes off, quick release this stuff.  See how different HAHAH  Remove the eggs to a towel on the side and
  
While your spuds are doing their spud thing, make your dressing in the biggest bowl you have.  Make your own or futz a recipe, depending on how much you need.  Make it thin thin thin!  The consistency of pouring cream.  Trust me, the hot potatoes suck this stuff up.  They absorb the flavor so incredibly. 

Today, mine was about a cup of mayonnaise, a tablespoon of dijon, zest and juice of half a lemon, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar,  thyme, white sugar, water till it was the right consistency.  I also had a little leftover aioli which I added.  The trick is to taste, taste, taste.
 
Drain the potatoes when the timer goes off and dump them into a collander, see the steamer insert I use?  Dump the potatoes, screaming hot, into the dressing and fold fold fold, carefully but not too fanatically.
   
They SOAK up the dressing, it's amazing.  Add whatever chopped veggies you want, I just wanted celery today.  Break the ends of the eggs and drop them into cold water, peel them.
  
Transfer the salad to a prettier bowl when it's all mixed in.  I put the whole eggs on top and cover the whole thing and put it in the fridge. When it's cold, I will chop the eggs, fold it all together one last time, put some sliced green onions on top and serve it up.

This recipe works for a small amount or a giant amount, 4 minutes, high pressure, on a steamer and you have a delicious, fabulous, quick, tasty, happiness inducing potato salad.

It's not just for OTHER people anymore!

Make it, enjoy it!

/tracy

7 comments:

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  2. Ok, Tracy, if it were anyone but YOU I would have blown past this recipe for a number of reasons like thinning the dressing so much; putting the dressing on while it is hot; cooking the potatoes and eggs in FOUR MINUTES??? Not possible...oh, wait, it's Tracy so it is not only possible it is a certainty. It works every time. BUT the true test came today....I went by a friend's farm today and got fresh eggs from the coop. I told her I was making a mess of potato salad for an office party for tomorrow. She said there was no way to take the eggs directly from the coop and hard boil them because they will be IMPOSSIBLE to peel. I had 30 minutes to visit so I said, "let's make potato salad for your dinner tonight." She said it would NEVER be ready in time. She was eating in 2 1/2 hours. I said it would be in the fridge in under 30 minutes and she had tears in her eyes from laughing at me. Well, 28 minutes later it was in the fridge...every single egg peeled like the inside of the shell was greased! Now, I confess, I put them in the freezer while we cut up the redskins and the rest of the ingredients then I grabbed her pressure cooker, which is identical to mine and loaded it, locked it, set it for 4 minutes and had coffee with her while we waited for it to be done. She made her dressing and I thinned it, just like you say. She was horrified that I had ruined her dressing. NOT. She called me later and said the boys said it was the best "tater salad ever". When we were chatting she said, "who is that lady again and what is her website?" I said you will never forget it again and she told me she will be trying many of your recipes because she LOVES LOVES LOVES my roast beef sandwiches. I showed her those instructions, too. Thanks, again, Tracy, for another fab recipe. I see you have posted several new ones I need to check out.

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    Replies
    1. oh THAT just thrills the pants off me!!!! HAHA I'll convert EVERYONE to the new old school way :) THANKS so much for sharing that story! it's just made my day!!! I have some cool new weird stuff coming down the pipe, you're going to love 'em!!

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    2. Well, you have never steered me wrong so I can't wait. All the other blogs I have read say you can't boil freshly laid eggs or the shells stick. The best news is I did not read that until AFTER I had made this PS recipe. Since it works every time, no matter how fresh the eggs are, I ignore those who don't know how to do it. I have suggested to a couple of those bloggers that they read your recipe and do it the CORRECT way and they don't even print what I post. LOL. Ignorance is bliss sometimes, I guess.

      Love the new pic!

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    3. just to muddy the fresh v old egg v peeling thing...
      fresh eggs OR old eggs from my backyard chickens? peel beautifully immediately,
      fresh eggs from store? forget it, not happening.
      old eggs from store? beautiful to peel...

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  3. Is there a way to print this recipe? It sounds great and I just got an instant pot.

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  4. I'm going to add printables!!! give me a day or so :)

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