Christmas Salad Days Potato Salad

Christmas celebrations, especially in families with several generations, can extend for two or three days, while all the family get to visit everyone. 

In the household here, the big Christmas thing is on Christmas eve, and rather than the habitual braai of the previous 3 years, it was decided that the Christmas 2010 repast be a simple collection of chips, dips, and drinks.

Together with a chicken offering from the Colonel. 

As is usual even the best laid plans etc etc etc...

We found ourselves to be the proud owners of half a turkey. And of course, because I am arrogant, and full of nonsense, and because I was asked to, I made a few salads, while the turkey was going about its business.

The first salad was good old fashioned Potato Salad.

Please understand, I cook cos its fun, and because it doesn't involve a lot of maths.

Phase 1

For the potato salad, cook up a whole collection of potatoes. 1 for each person expected, and then another 1 for half the people expected, and then add another 2. 

Peel the potatoes, and cut them into little pieces. I like to cut them so that about 2 pieces will fit into tablespoon. Kind of.

Chuck them into water, to which you've added some salt. I always add salt to potatoes, about 1 level teaspoon of salt for 8 medium potatoes.

The stove should be on, and the plate under the potato pot on high. Let it cook. 

When the little bits are cooked, drain off all the excess water right away. Run some cold water over the potatoes, and drain again.

Now, half a cup of mayonnaise, and then some milk, just to make the cup 3/4 full. Mix the hell out of it, so that it mixes all up. Pour this all over the potatoes.

Now add lashings of mayonnaise, and turn it in a bit.

Chop an onion or two finely, and chuck it onto the potatoes.

Mix it all up, so that the mayonnaise is covering all the potatoes. 

Phase Two begins.

Boil a few eggs. I used 6, cos it sounded like a nice number at the time. You want the little guys hard boiled.

When boiled, separate eggs from their shells.

At this point you could do one of two things. Slice the eggs in half length-ways, and then mash the egg yolk. Add some tomato sauce, and a touch of worcester sauce. just a sprinkle of cayenne pepper is also good.

Scoop some of the filling into the half egg white shell thingies. Make it mound a bit. If there is any egg white things left, mash it and toss it in with the potatoes. 

Arrange the stuffed half eggs on the potato salad. A grating of cheese, a grind of black pepper, a toss of parsley, and your potato salad is good to go.

The other option, which I often use, because I have problems with boiling eggs long enough, is to take the semi soft yolks, and flatten them a bit, and then nuke them in the microwave for a minute. COVER the yolks, cos they probably will explode a bit. 

The yolks will come out quite hard. Mash them till they quite fluffy and powdery. Mash the semi solid egg whites, and mix them into the potato salad. 

A sprinkle of cayenne pepper, a touch of garlic every here and there, cover the pepper and garlic with crumbled egg yolk. To finish it off, a grind of black pepper, a toss of parsley, and your potato salad is good to go.