Slovak Potato salad
While potato salad might seem an unusual dish to serve in December, Slovaks disagree!
This creamy, tart and flavorful salad makes a unique side any time of year.
Zemiakový šalát
When I think potato salad, I think summertime. I think cherry tomatoes and celery, brats and buns. When my Slovak husband informed me that potato salad was his favorite dish on the Christmas dinner table, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t surprised. In the past fifteen years, however, I’ve grown to love it. With ingredients not often found in American potato salad, (from half-and-half and mayonnaise to diced apples and pickles), each bite is a combination of creamy, tangy and crisp. Not sure you’re ready to include at Christmas dinner? Don’t worry: it makes a delicious side any time of year.
Storing & saving
Store in the refrigerator and eat with in 3-4 days.
Yields
12-16 servings (it’s for a Christmas feast! Consider halving the recipe for a regular meal).
Baking notes
The potatoes (especially if cooked in a pressure cooker) will lose their shape once cooked. Don’t panic! When blended with the half-and-half and mayonnaise, the softened potato will help to create the salad consistency.
Ingredients
10 Golden potatoes, cubed 10 zlatých zemiakov nakrájaných na kocky
1 diced sweet onion 1 sladká cibuľa, na kocky nakrájaná
3-6 carrots, to your preference 3-6 mrkvy, podľa vašich preferencií
1-2 apples (Babka says that the best will be a sweet yet tart, juicy apple) 1-2 jablká
8 ounces diced tangy pickles 8 uncí nakrájaných pikantných uhoriek
4-6 hard-boiled eggs 4-6 vajcia na tvrdo
8 ounces steamed peas 8 uncí vareného hrášku
8 ounces steamed corn 8 uncí varenej kukurice
Salt & pepper to taste soľ a korenie podľa chuti
10 oz of mayonnaise 10 uncí majonézy
6 ounces half-and-half 6 uncí pol a pol (smotana a mlieko)
Hard boil your eggs and leave them to cool.
Peel and dice your potatoes and carrots. They do not need to be in bite-sized pieces yet; you can dice them again after they have cooked.
Cook the potatoes and carrots either in a pressure cooker, or boiling water. If using a pressure cooker, bring to pressure and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce pressure, open and leave carrots and potatoes to cool.
Into a large bowl combine finely diced onion, diced apple (Babka doesn’t peel them beforehand), steamed peas and corn, finely diced pickle and diced hard-boiled eggs.
In a separate bowl, blend mayonnaise and half-and-half until smooth.
Cut cooled carrot and potato into small pieces and add to the large bowl.
Combine sauce with diced ingredients in large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste, adjusting your half-and-half + mayo mixture as needed.
Babka’s recipe says: the potatoes shouldn’t be dry, but neither should they be “swimming”. Find the consistency that you prefer!
Serving your salad
Traditionally, Slovaks serve their Christmas potato salad with carp, but my husband and I have found that the flavor works quite well with a tenderloin roast or pork rezné (schnitzel).
