Garlic Scape Potato Salad

Ingredients

2-3 lb yellow potatoes
2 Eggs
2-3 Stalks celery, finely chopped
1 medium Vidalia onion, finely chopped
10 garlic scapes, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 + 1/4 cup light mayo
3 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Paprika

Directions

Boil the potatoes until soft and skin cracks.
Boil the eggs with the potatoes until hard boiled. Cool the potatoes. In a food processor, place the scapes and process until very fine.
Add the olive oil, mayo, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Peel the cooled potatoes and cube them.
Mash up one egg. Gently mix all together. Grate the other egg.
Take the extra 1/4 cup of mayo and smooth over top of potato salad, sprinkle the grated egg and then finish with a sprinkle of paprika.
Serve warm or cool, your choice and enjoy as a summer comfort side dish!

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Yield: Serves 6-8, generously

Categories: Carole's Concoctions, Heirloom Recipes, Special Diets

Tags: potato salad

The Story

Once again, I grew up in the land of no recipes. My nana and Mom were/are the great concocters. They knew instinctively how much of this and how much of that was needed...potato salad was no exception. Here's how my mom described how to make potato salad: "Boil a half bag of yellow potatoes. Place two eggs in with the potatoes to hard boil. Let the potatoes cool enough so you can handle them, peel and cut into cubes or bite-sized pieces. Make sure they cool (but still warm because when they’re warm the dressing absorbs into the potatoes better). Hot potatoes are less firm and you can end up with mashed potato salad. Then I make a dressing - some olive oil, some mayo, even some sour cream. Depends what I have on hand. A little vinegar, salt and pepper. Oh, and of course, when the potatoes are boiling finely chop and onion and some celery. Mash up one egg and add to potatoes and then add dressing. To create a smooth surface on top. spread a little extra mayo on the top, then grate the other egg and sprinkle on top with some paprika. Nana used to slice up red and green peppers to make a really nice presentation. Serve still slightly warm or cool.”

So, I thought, I needed to both document the recipe with real measurements and add my twist. And with the garlic scapes in full force, I decided that they would make a great addition to the dressing.

Recipe by Carole Murko

You can leave out the scapes for traditional potato salad!