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Some foods conjure up special memories.

And, for me, that’s true about potato salad.

During the summer of 1962, when I was 7 ½ years old, my parents took the family tent camping across the United States.

I remember how friendly the people were at all the various campsites, and how one neighbor brought over a bowl of potato salad to share with us.

Immediately, I proclaimed “this ‘white’ potato salad is my favorite!”

It wasn’t a reflection on my dear mother’s cooking, but her potato salad was always of the “yellow” (traditional) variety because it included yellow mustard and eggs.

This was the first time that I had tasted the “white” version, which I later learned was a Greek potato salad. It is still my favorite, today, although red potato salad, with dill, ranks a close second.

Potato salad is a staple at many summer outings and celebrations, such as picnics, family reunions, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day, to name a few. Indeed, chances are that a bowl of potato salad will grace many tables during Fourth of July celebrations this week.

Potatoes are nutritious, too. They are an excellent source of Vitamin C (30% of your daily recommended value), a good source of Potassium (15% of your recommended daily value) and Vitamin B6 (10% of your daily recommended value). There’s no fat, sodium or cholesterol, and they are low in calories at 110 per serving. It’s the ingredients that we add to them — butter, sour cream, mayonnaise and other toppings that boost the calories.

If you eat unpeeled potatoes, you also get more fiber in your diet.

Here’s something else that might surprise you: There are actually 200 different varieties of potatoes in the U.S. that fit into seven different categories: russet, red, white, yellow, blue/purple, fingerling and petite. Each one comes with its own characteristics. Some are better for baking, some for boiling. You find them fresh, frozen, fried and dehydrated (also called instant) on the store shelves.

Betsy Crisp is a Professor Emeritus, UF/IFAS Extension – Family & Consumer Sciences.

Recipes

Traditional (Yellow) Potato Salad with Bacon
(Country-Style with Potato Skins left on for extra fiber!)
Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds white (or yellow) unpeeled potatoes, cut into cubes (about 4 cups)

1/2 teaspoon regular salt (for cooking)

1 1/2 Tablespoons white vinegar

3/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise (or half mayo + half nonfat plain yogurt to reduce calories even more)

1 Tablespoon yellow mustard

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

1/4 cup sweet pickle relish

1 stalk celery, finely diced

1/3 cup yellow onion (about 1 small), finely diced

1/2 medium green pepper, finely diced

4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled, chilled and chopped (tip: use egg slicer, cut one way then turn and cut other)

1/4 cup bacon pieces (packaged, precooked bacon pieces have 40% less fat than cooking regular bacon!)

Paprika (optional)

Instructions:

Scrub potatoes and cut into cubes. Add to large pot, cover 1” above with cold water (add 1 teaspoon salt) and boil approximately 15-20 minutes (until fork-tender). Drain off hot water, run cold water over, drain thoroughly, sprinkle with white vinegar and place in a large bowl in refrigerator to cool at least 30 minutes.

When completely cooled, add the relish, celery, onion, green pepper, eggs and bacon.

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, salt, pepper and mix well. Let chill in fridge until potatoes have cooled, then carefully fold into potatoes.

Chill in the refrigerator at least four hours, but best if overnight so that flavors can blend. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Note: Cutting the potatoes into cubes BEFORE cooking saves prep time in two ways: you don’t have to wait for the whole potatoes to cool before you handle them to cut into cubes AND being in smaller sizes/cubes, they will cook faster. Another option would be to scrub the potatoes under cold running water, prick the skin, microwave whole potatoes on high (or use sensor) for 3-4 minutes (depending on size) until fork-tender and chill in the refrigerator until thoroughly cooled or overnight. You just have to be careful not to overcook and make them mushy. They will be easy to handle: peel (if the recipe calls for it as in the Greek version and cut into cubes. Works best for smaller quantities (4-6 potatoes).

Greek (White) Potato Salad
Ingredients:

2 pounds (about 6 medium) white potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4” cubes (about 5 cups)

1 sweet white onion, chopped (or 3 green/spring onions, sliced)

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup Greek yogurt tzatziki sauce (or substitute 1/2 cup light mayonnaise + 1/2 cup plain nonfat plain Greek yogurt + 2 cloves minced garlic + 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

3 Tablespoons (approximately 1 1/2 ounces) reduced fat feta cheese, crumbles (optional)

Garnish with cherry tomatoes and pitted Kalamata olives or just more chopped parsley/sliced green onion tops or sprinkle with dill weed (all suggestions are optional)

Instructions:

Scrub potatoes, peel and cut into cubes. Add to large pot, cover with cold water and boil approximately 15-20 minutes (until fork-tender). Drain off hot water, rinse cold water over, drain thoroughly.

Add onions and sprinkle with white vinegar and place in a large bowl in refrigerator to cool at least 30 minutes until cooled, completely.

In a small bowl, mix together oil and mayonnaise. Mix well.

Add parsley and dressing. Fold into potatoes and onions.

Chill in the refrigerator at least four hours, but best if overnight so that flavors can blend.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Note: Starches like potatoes, pasta, and rice are usually cooked in a generous amount of salt added to the boiling water. The salt is absorbed by the starch, which adds flavor and even raises the boiling point of the water, so the water boils more quickly. However, adding salt is not necessary, especially if you are trying to reduce your sodium content. Sodium can also be reduced in the recipe if you prefer to season “to taste” and use less.

How to boil an egg

The correct way to hard-cooked eggs: Over the years, research has shown that you do not want to ever boil your eggs (In the old days, it was suggested 7 minutes of hard-boiling). Boiling the egg subjects the egg

to high heat making the protein tough and causing a chemical reaction with the Sulphur causing that familiar gray-green ring around the yolk. To hard-cook eggs, you place large eggs (prick the large end with a tack/egg piercer – helps in peeling) into a saucepan filled with cold water about 1” above the eggs. Over medium-high heat, bring the water to a rolling boil, immediately turn off the heat, cover the pot and let sit on the burner for 15 minutes. Immediately drain the hot water, add cold water; even ice helps to stop cooking, and help the inner membrane pull away from the shell making them easier to peel (it also helps to use older eggs, 1-2 weeks old). When cool and ready to peel, tap egg all over to crack shell, rub between palms of hands to loosen shell, and peel under cold-running water starting at the large end where the air pocket is.

Published June 27, 2018