Lisa UK posted 11-20-99 5:45 PM pt (US)
Soulful Salad
Taken from Sheila Ferguson's Soul Food published by Weidenfeld paperbacks
Potato Salad
2 lb. (500 g.) firm potatoes
1/2 cup (2 1/2 oz.) finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped onion (1/2 medium onion)
2 tbs. seeded and finely diced green bell pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black or white pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. celery salt
1 tbs. sugar
1 tbs. vinegar
1 hard boiled egg
1/3 cup (2 1/2 fl. oz.) salad cream
1/2 cup (4 fl. oz.) mayonnaise
2 tbs. celery seed
7-8 small sweet pickles
paprika
Wash potatoes and put them into a pot of boiling salted water to cover. Cover tightly and cook for about 20 minutes or until tender. Test with a fork or knife. They should be soft enough to cube easily but not mushy and falling apart. Drain in a colander and refrigerate until they are cold enough to work with.
Peel potatoes and cut into coarse chunks or cubes. Throw in your celery, onion and green pepper but do not stir yet. Add salt, pepper, dry mustard, celery salt, sugar and vinegar, still not stirring.
Now take yolk from hard boiled egg and mash it up with a fork. Add a bit of mayonnaise to it to make a lumpy paste. Mix this with rest of mayonnaise and salad cream, then pour it on potatoes. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of celery seed on top of this mountain. Using a wooden spoon, toss until well blended. Taste and adjust your seasonings.
Coarsely chop sweet pickles. Coarsely chop egg white also and add both of these and rest of celery seed to salad. Again, taste and adjust. When blending, try not to pulverise potatoes or salad will be mushy. Now turn your potato salad into a serving bowl.
Liberally sprinkle paprika over top until it's quite red. Cover with clear plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or until ready to serve