Potato Salad from Scratch

We decided to make potato salad and to do it totally from scratch. We leaned on our good mentor Alton Brown for the basics and lifted a recipe from the foul mouthed Scottish Chef Mr. Ramsey for part of it as well. Here is the scoop . . . Pun intended.

2.5 Lbs. Red potatos

3 Tbls cider vinegar

3/4 cup homemade mayonnaise (see below)

1 Tbls chopped fresh Dill

1/2 Tbls minced garlic

1/2 Cup diced red onion

1/2 cup sliced celery

2-3 eggs hard boiled and chopped

First take the potatos and cook them whole. Place them in a pot and bring to a boil, then simmer until you can easily slide a fork into them. Then immediately remove them and dump out the water and place the pot under the cold faucet and either ice them to cool them or run cold water over them to cool them. Once they are cool use a dish towel to rub the skins off them. I found doing this under water works really well. Just put a potato in the middle of the towel and then stick it under the water and rub until the skin is all off. Then slice the potatoes how you like them. I like thicker small chunks. Place your sliced potatoes in a zip lock bag and toss them with the vinegar. Refrigerate overnight.

In the morning chop all the remaining ingredients and place them in a bowl. Then make the mayonnaise. This is really the secret to this dish as it add amazing flavor and texture that you cannot get from a jar and it is not hard to make. Here is how you do that.

3 egg yolks

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 cup oil

1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

Place the egg yokes and mustard in a food processor, blend just until combined. Then, this part is a wee bit tricky, turn the processor on and slowly drizzle the oil in until you get an emulsification. You will know because the motor will change sounds as the concoction goes form liquid to mayo consistency. I drizzle real slow like about a 1/8 inch stream at most. Once your mayo is together add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Do not all the salt, pepper or lemon ahead of time, your eggs will break down and not emulsify.

Add your homemade mayo to the chopped ingredients and mix until well combined. Then fold in the potatoes. Don't stir them as you will break them all up, unless you like it this way. Salt and pepper to taste and viola, amazing potato salad.