Karl’s Colorful Potato Salad

Daughter Eilene has finally convinced me to try Japanese mayonnaise. Jan and I were wandering through a Farmer’s market and I saw a bin of differently colored marble potatoes—AKA new potatoes, these are simply potatoes that have been harvested while they are still only an inch in diameter. I thought they would make a good Japanese potato salad.

Note: I actually made this dish before my Japanese potato salad. While these potatoes made a good salad, these waxy potatoes did not come out as a “Japanese potato salad.” The potatoes were in firm, sharp-edged chunks, instead of the half mashed texture of a good Japanese potato salad.

The bin contained Red Bliss, Inca Gold, and Purple Peruvian potatoes. Marble potatoes are too small to peel and that would also take out much of the color that I wanted for this dish. I decided to simply half or quarter the potatoes, before boiling them for the salad.

Note: The Peruvians where slightly larger than the others and I cut them into sixths.

Karl’s Colorful Potato Salad

Ingredients

½ lb. Red Bliss (about 9)
½ lb. Inca Gold (about 9)
½ lb. Purple Peruvian(about 6)

2 stalks celery, diced
2 green onions, sliced finely

¼-⅓ cup Japanese mayonnaise
2 tsp. rice vinegar, unseasoned
½ tsp. Kosher salt
¼ tsp. black pepper

1 small yellow carrot, quartered lengthwise and sliced

Directions

1. Cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces.

2. Place the potatoes in to a pot with water to cover.

3. Bring the pot to a boil and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes.

Tip: The potatoes are done when a knife easily pierces the thickest potato chunk.

Note: An energy saving trick is to remove the post from the heat after 10 minutes and to leave the pot, covered, for an additionally 20 minutes. The heat of the water will finish cooking the potatoes.

4. Drain the potatoes well.

5. Put the potatoes, celery, and green onion into a mixing bowl.

6. In a small cup, mix the Japanese mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Tip: Add as much mayonnaise as you need to, in order reach your desired consistency.

7. Add the dressing to the potatoes and toss to mix and coat.

8.Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and garnish with the sliced carrots.

9. Covered with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

Tip: You may also garnish the potato salad with black sesame seeds, or my daughter’s favorite, a serious sprinkle of shichimi tōgarashi.