Everyone has their own favourite potato salad recipe, and this one from the July 2002 issue of Gourmet is ours. It is simple and delicious. A few tips: Use large, thin-skinned boiling potatoes of equal size so they are cooked at the same time. Be sure to cook the potatoes through – a paring knife should easily pass through the centre of the largest potato. Drain the potatoes and peel them as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Keep them whole until you are finished peeling all of them. Then quickly cut them into cubes and toss them with the vinegar and salt while they are still hot. This permits the potatoes to soak up the salt and vingar. As you toss the potatoes, you will notice that their exterior softens; this is a good sign.

The potatoes soften when you toss them with the vinegar and salt

All you do after this is toss in the chopped celery, onion and eggs and mix in the mayonnaise. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Old-Fashioned Potato Salad

Ingredients:

2 lb equal-size boiling potatoes

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chopped celery or green pepper

1/2 cup chopped white onion

3 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1 cup mayonnaise (I use Hellman’s regular)

Preparation:

Cover potatoes with salted cold water by 2 inches in a 3-quart saucepan and simmer uncovered until just tender, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on size of potatoes. Drain in a colander and cool slightly.

While potatoes are simmering, whisk together vinegar and salt in a large bowl until salt is dissolved. Make the hard-boiled eggs and chop the celery and onion.

When potatoes are just cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 1-inch pieces, add to vinegar mixture, and toss gently with a rubber spatula to combine. Let cool to room temperature, then add remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste and stir gently to combine. Serve at room temperature or chilled. 
Makes 6 servings.

From the June 2002 issue of Gourmet