IOW, your kids probably won't like it.
Per Chris' request, from a post on the old FLDG which was in answer to Traci's request:
Mind, I've never written this down before, nor do I use measuring cups or such that I have precise measurements (I don't even own any), but I'm very accurate at eyeballing amounts scooped with tablespoons, poured into the palm of my hand or poured into an old coffee cup that is my one-size-fits-all non-scientific measuring device. So the amounts listed in this recipe are accurate but approximate--in fact, the only thing I'm a little unsure of is exactly how much vinegar eventually ends up in the salad since that gets drizzled, thumb over bottle opening (I keep an easy-to-grip long/narrow-necked wine bottle of apple cider vinegar stove-side), which could be moot since your vinegar might be weaker or stronger so it's a to-taste thing.
Anyway, any good cook will be able to follow my instructions and, using a little judgement, duplicate my results. This mustard-less potato salad gets it's tang from vinegar, it's lightness and sophistication from the sour cream, it's texture and color from the lovely red skins and green celery, and it's spice from canned (don't substitute fresh, you need canned) jalapenos "en escabeche". Chopped fresh jalapeno is a nice additional ingredient, but not neccessary to the flavor the way the escabeche juice is. The result is a stiff, not greasy or fatty-seeming potato salad with a hot little kick in the back end. A guest on Sunday called it "potato salad for adults", a perfect description. I never serve it that someone doesn't ask for the recipe.
One warning: because of the sour cream, it's fragile and temperature sensitive. It's best served cold the day it's made and should be finished by the second day as the sour cream liquifies with time.
Five pounds of potatoes makes one big bowl, about 20 servings.
5 lbs red potatoes, rinsed, cut(halve small ones, quarter medium-sized ones)
1 1/3 c sour cream
2 heaping tablespoons, and I mean heaping, mayonnaise
About 1/3 c apple cider vinegar, maybe more
2 teaspoons celery seed
about four teaspoons dry dill (and for God's sake, if your dry dill isn't dark green and a very recent purchase go buy some more) or 1/4 c chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons chopped jalapeno and carrots (buy the strips with carrots called "en escabeche" and note that the carrots give the same flavor but more color to your salad) and about two tablespoons of the marinating juice
salt, lots of cracked black pepper
4 celery ribs, diced
1 medium white onion, diced
Place the prepared potatoes in a large cooking pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Add about a teaspoon of salt and simmer until the potatoes are just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Drain. Set cooking pot aside, use it as your mixing bowl.
Dice celery and onions. Have vinegar nearby, use something spouted so it pours in a thin stream or use a tablespoon to sprinkle.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, break them into walnut sized pieces and drop them into mixing bowl. When you've done about a third of the potatoes, sprinkle about one and a half tablespoons of vinegar, a few pinches of salt and a third of the celery/onions over. Repeat two more times until all the potatoes, celery, onions and vinegar have been used.
In a separate small bowl, mix the mayo, sour cream jalapeno juice. Pour over potatoes, add dill, celery seed and lots of cracked black pepper, mix. Test/adjust for flavor, knowing that vinegar will be sharper now than in a few hours once it's chilled--and the jalapeno effect hotter. Refrigerate. Once the salad's chilled, adjust for flavor (typically, more salt and a shot of vinegar will be needed) and transfer to a serving bowl. Cover with plastic and keep cold until serving time.
