Green Olive Potato Salad
I have issues with pickle relish. Under the right circumstances, I like it on hotdogs and my Creole Tartar Sauce wouldn’t be the same without its punchy kick. But that’s about it. I don’t care for relish in deviled eggs and I really don’t enjoy it in egg salad, tuna salad or potato salad. My preference for non-relish versions of these indispensable spring and summer staples dates back to my childhood. I grew up in a non-relish family and didn’t recognize the full impact of that until I began mentally dissecting other people’s food and then married into a relish-favoring family. There are very strong relish camps out there. Who knew? And while I often feel like I’m in the minority, I hold steadfast to my belief that relish-less recipes for all the aforementioned foods are better. The hubby does not agree. Or at least he likes to pretend to disagree just to get me riled up–I’m sure it’s the latter, considering how well he always polishes his plate. Nevertheless, I’m always looking for new and creative ways to spin these classics without relish. I think I’ve done a pretty good job with my Jalapeño Deviled Eggs, Chipotle Bacon Deviled Eggs, Loaded Baked Potato Salad, Simple Potato Salad with Homemade Mayonnaise and Grilled Potato Salad with Onions and Jalapeños. And my latest to join the ranks is Green Olive Potato Salad. Even though the recipe doesn’t call for pickle relish, it does contain a similar brininess, tang and toothsome bite thanks to the olives and olive juice. Those are the two ingredients that will make this potato salad appeal to all camps.
Green Olive Potato Salad Recipe
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5 pounds russet potatoes
5 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 small bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 5.75-ounce jar pimiento-stuffed olives, drained (reserve brine) and chopped
2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper
Scrub potatoes under cold water to remove any dirt. Place whole, unpeeled potatoes in a large pot; cover with cold water. Generously season water with salt. Bring potatoes to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until just fork tender, about 35-40 minutes. Drain potatoes. Once cool enough to handle, rub the skins off with your fingers; discard skins. Place potatoes in a large mixing bowl and mash to desired consistency. Add hard boiled eggs and next 6 ingredients (through cayenne). Stir in 6 tablespoons reserved olive brine and mix until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Makes 6-8 servings.
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