Well, if we can’t go outside to have a picnic, that shouldn’t stop us from having picnic-perfect food, right? Right! So, what’s a perfect partner with just about any barbecued meat, at home or for a picnic in the park? Yup, potato salad. But not just any potato salad. This potato salad!
I admit, I have a weakness for this dish. Nelson prefers eating this cold, but I like it the most when it’s just been mixed and the potatoes are still slightly warm. Nelson knows how much I love this potato salad so he’s designated me as the official taste-tester (though he doesn’t need an official tester…he just knows it makes me happy).
Nelson has been making this recipe since he was a teen and living away from home to attend school, on another island, in the Azores. His mom used to make it and he picked up the recipe from her. This was perfect for a young man living on a student’s budget. Potatoes were cheap and the dish was pretty easy to make. Nelson always craved home cooked meals, and his mom would send him care packages, but when the meals ran out before the week ran out, he had to try his hand at cooking for himself. That’s when he discovered he had a knack for cooking and he actually enjoyed it–and I’m so grateful that he does.
We hope you enjoy!
- 4 lbs white potatoes peeled and chopped
- 2 tsp salt (for boiling water)
- 5 large eggs (1 egg will be for used for garnish)
- 1 cup red bell peppers diced (about one small to medium pepper)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ½ cup green olives pitted and chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Hellman's with olive oil (not being paid to say this), but others will also work)
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- ½ tsp salt
- In a large pot, boil the potatoes and eggs (water should cover the potatoes by 2 or three inches) with the 2 tsp of salt.
- Potatoes are ready when tender. To test, poke with a fork. The potato should be tender and break apart easily (careful not to over cook them so that they still hold their shape).
- While the potatoes are boiling, dice the pepper and chop the parsley and olives.
- Once the potatoes are boiled, place them in a colander in a sink to remove the water (let sit for 5 minutes).
- While the potatoes are in the colander, move the eggs to a small bowl and run cold water over them to cool them off. Once they're ready to be handled by hand, peel the boiled eggs.
- In a large bowl, place the potatoes, peppers, parsley, olives, mayo, and 4 crumbled eggs.
- Sprinkle the ½ tsp salt and pepper evenly over the ingredients and mix gently, being careful not to break the potatoes too much.
- Move the mixture to a serving dish and garnish with the remaining egg sliced in wheels plus some fresh parsley sprigs. (note: parsley tastes great with this salad so it's more than just a garnish!).
Yum! I love a good potato salad and it has definitely been too long since I last made one.