Plato’s Potato Salad Recipe – The Requisite Summer Cookout Side Dish

Bobbie says:

Am I the only one who thinks a summer cookout just doesn’t seem right without potato salad? Whether you’re planning a barbecue for July Fourth Independence Day here in the States or planning a small family picnic, this easy potato salad recipe will round out the menu nicely.

I had a fear of making potato salad for a while. When I still lived at home, my parents had a friend who was a very nice lady; but a rather dreadful cook. Her chili was thin and watery, and I doubt a single chili pepper in any form was ever anywhere near it, and her potato salad was crunchy. Not from crisp, fresh bits of celery or onion, or even bacon. It was the potatoes. My husband has a similar story of a beloved relative whose potato salad was spoken of only in hushed tones so as not to hurt her feelings. I did not want to be THAT person.

And when I finally decided to give it a go, guess who I turned out to be? Yep. The crunchy-potatoes-potato-salad-maker person. Fortunately, it was only for my own household, no guests, and only some of the potatoes were a bit un-crunchy. So, mostly edible. I kept working at it, trying different methods to get the potatoes right, and tweaking the dressing based on family input.

I was certain I’d finally perfected my potato salad on the day my husband referred to it as “Plato’s Potato Salad.”

We’d both had to take the same religion & philosophy course long ago at Grove City College, so I knew exactly what he meant. You’ve heard of Plato, that wacky ancient Greek philosopher? Well, he had this notion that things in the physical world were only cheap knockoffs of perfect things that existed only in the realm of thought. (No, seriously. It’s called Plato’s Theory of Forms. Look it up.) That chair you’re sitting on, comfy as it may be, is nowhere the ideal of perfect chair-ness that exists in your mind. So, when my husband called this Plato’s Potato Salad, I knew he liked it…

A lot.

Now that we’ve gotten the involuntary Greek philosophy lesson out of the way, on to the actual food discussion. I think it’s time for a picture.

And there it is. I’m presentationally-impaired, so forgive my lame attempt at a garnish.

This is a pretty simple recipe, with only four chopped ingredients tossed with a non-sweet dressing. If you prefer yours on the sweet side or with – as we say at our house – “lots of stuff in it” then you might want to check out the potato salad recipe that Heather posted in 2009. That recipe also uses a different method of cooking the potatoes, which of course, you could use here, as well. When I try it that way, I tend to make mashed potatoes and try the potato salad again later. It’s probably just my inability to pay attention to a timer beyond setting the thing. My method still uses a timer, but it’s slightly more forgiving in the paying-attention department.

Plato’s Potato Salad Recipe

• 2 pounds medium potatoes (5 to 6) – enough to end up with 4 1/2 cups cubed, cooked potatoes
• 6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (yellow or purple)
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Wash the potatoes, scrubbing well with a brush if they’re very dirty. You want them completely free of dirt before cooking to avoid simmering the potatoes in muddy water. That wouldn’t be conducive to tasty tater salad. Get ’em clean, kids.

Choose a large pot, big enough to hold all the potatoes in one layer, and ensure it has a lid that fits well. Fill with water to a depth of 1 inch and bring to a boil. Add the whole, clean and not-peeled potatoes. Cover tightly and return to boiling. Reduce heat to a high simmer and cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender. They’re done if you can push a table knife (not a sharp knife) through to the center of the largest potato. Drain and allow potatoes to cool until you can handle them enough to peel.

While the potatoes are cooking and cooling, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, sugar and pepper. Set aside. Oh, and if you haven’t cooked your eggs yet, git ‘er done.

Here’s how I peel the cooked potatoes: take a sharp, non-serrated paring knife and use it to scrape the skin right off. I hold the knife so the blade is perpendicular to the surface of the potato. It comes off rather easily.

Cut the potatoes into bite-sized chunks or smaller if you prefer. Chop up the eggs into bite-size or smaller pieces. I like big chunks of egg, but others may not. If you want to garnish with egg slices, cook an extra egg or two, then peel and keep in the fridge to slice just before serving.

Put the potatoes, eggs, celery and onion in a large bowl.

Pour dressing over and gently mix until all pieces are coated well.

Transfer to a storage container or serving bowl and cover. Chill for a minimum of two hours, preferably several hours or overnight. Salad should be stirred gently before serving (or before adding your garnish if you’re doing that)

The recipe makes 3 1/4 pounds or about 14 half-cup servings

Bobbie Laughman shot a man in Reno just to watch him die. You could report her, but you know they’ll just laugh at you. Besides, you know he had it coming, so instead, you should go check out her blog Gruntled. Sheveled. Whelmed. Send questions to Bobbie@Home-Ec101.com