Potato salad, hold the mayo

Fresh rosemary works if there is no parsley in the house

My wife on the evils of mayonnaise….

I hate mayonnaise. I hate the way it jiggles; the way it smells; the noise it makes coming off a spoon; but mainly the way it tastes. This makes simple dishes, tuna fish, coleslaw and yes, potato salad, tricky endeavors in my household. My husband will make two batches of tuna, one for me with a little Dijon salt and pepper and one for him with pickles, tomatoes, onions, fresh parsley and gobs of mayo. We look at each other with the same thought, “How can you eat that?” Actually, I’m usually thinking, “I hope he brushes his teeth after that.” When it comes to potato salad, we’ve found a couple that we enjoy that are blissfully free of mayonnaise. They’re below. If you have another, please share. Picnic season is upon us. (We saw this one over at Young Wifey’s blog, and will definitely try it.)

German-style Potato Salad

• 5 medium potatoes
• 5 slices of bacon
• 1/2 medium-sized onion, chopped fine
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp celery salt
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 hard-boiled egg (optional)

Peel potatoes and cut in 1/4-inch slices. Steam until done, about 20 minutes, making sure to not overcook.  In a large skillet cook bacon until crisp. Remove, leaving drippings in pan, and set on a plate lined with a paper towel. Once cool enough to touch,  crumble and set aside.  Drain off some of the fat if desired, but leave at least two tablespoons in the pan. Add onion and cook over medium heat until tender. Stir in flour, celery salt, mustard and season with salt and pepper. Once incorporated, stir in water and vinegar, scraping up the bits on the bottom. Cook until thick and bubbly, about two-four minutes. Stir in potatoes and bacon until well coated. Serve immediately or refrigerate. It’s good hot, cold or at room temperature. Garnish with parsley and sliced hard-boiled eggs.

Option number two

Potato and Anchovy Salad

• 3 pounds red potatoes
• 1 hard boiled egg, separate white and yolk
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp sour cream
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 10 anchovy fillets, drained and rinsed
• 6 scallions or about a 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley

Chop potatoes in good-sized cubes and steam. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolk and vinegar until smooth. Whisk in sour cream and oil. Finely chop egg whites, anchovies and scallions. Mix into dressing. Toss with potatoes. Add pepper and and fresh parsley. Taste before adding salt, since the anchovies can be salty.