Old-Fashioned Southern Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large pot for pasta
• •Medium saucepan for eggs
• •Large mixing bowl
• •Colander
• •Sheet pan for cooling pasta
• •Rubber spatula

Instructions

1. 1

   Boil the eggs

   Place your eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with cold water by one inch. Set over high heat and bring to a rolling boil. The moment you see those big, angry bubbles, cover the pot, kill the heat, and let them sit for exactly twelve minutes. Not eleven. Not thirteen. Twelve minutes gives you that beautiful golden yolk without the gray ring of disappointment.

   Older eggs peel easier than fresh ones. If your eggs are farm-fresh, add a teaspoon of baking soda to the water.
2. 2

   Shock the eggs

   Prepare an ice bath while the eggs rest. When the timer goes off, transfer the eggs immediately to the ice water. Let them chill for at least five minutes. This stops the cooking dead and makes peeling a pleasure instead of a curse. Set them aside while you handle the pasta.

3. 3

   Cook the macaroni

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt it generously, about a tablespoon for every four quarts. The water should taste like the Gulf of Mexico. Add your elbow macaroni and cook until tender but not mushy, usually about eight to nine minutes. You want pasta that yields to the tooth without any chalky resistance in the center.

   For macaroni salad, cook the pasta one minute past al dente. It needs to be soft enough to absorb the dressing without being gummy.
4. 4

   Rinse and cool the pasta

   Drain the macaroni in a colander and rinse under cold running water, tossing with your hands until the pasta is completely cool. This stops the cooking and washes away excess starch that would make your salad gluey. Shake the colander well to remove as much water as possible. Wet pasta dilutes your dressing. Spread the pasta on a sheet pan for five minutes to dry further while you make the dressing.

5. 5

   Build the dressing

   In your largest mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Creole mustard, sweet pickle relish, pickle juice, vinegar, sugar, Cajun seasoning, black pepper, and cayenne. The dressing should be creamy with visible mustard seeds throughout. Taste it now. That's the bayou way. Adjust the seasoning if needed. It should taste slightly more assertive than you think because the pasta will absorb and mellow everything.

   The pickle juice is not optional. That tangy brine brightens the whole salad and keeps it from tasting flat.
6. 6

   Prepare the vegetables and eggs

   Dice your celery fine, no bigger than your smallest fingernail. Same with the red bell pepper. Slice those green onions thin as dimes. Mince the sweet onion until it practically disappears. Peel your cooled eggs and chop them into small pieces, keeping some larger chunks for texture. Reserve a few egg slices for garnish if you want the church supper presentation.

7. 7

   Combine everything

   Add the cooled macaroni to the dressing and fold gently with a rubber spatula until every elbow is coated. Add the celery, bell pepper, green onions, sweet onion, and chopped eggs. Fold again, taking care not to mash the eggs into paste. The salad should look generous and full of good things. Add most of the parsley, saving a pinch for garnish.

8. 8

   Chill and serve

   Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least two hours, preferably overnight. The pasta absorbs the dressing as it rests, the flavors marry, and everything gets acquainted. Before serving, taste again and adjust the seasoning. The cold dulls flavors, so you may need a touch more salt or a splash of pickle juice. Transfer to your best serving bowl, dust with paprika, scatter the reserved parsley, and arrange those egg slices on top if you saved them.

   If the salad seems dry after chilling, stir in a few tablespoons of mayonnaise to loosen it up. Pasta salads always absorb more dressing than you expect.

Chef Tips

• •Duke's mayonnaise is the only choice for true Southern macaroni salad. It has more tang and less sweetness than national brands. If you cannot find Duke's, add an extra splash of vinegar to whatever mayo you use.
• •Make this salad the day before you need it. The overnight rest transforms it from good to unforgettable. The flavors deepen and meld in ways that simply cannot happen in two hours.
• •Creole mustard has whole mustard seeds that add texture and complexity. Yellow mustard will work in a pinch, but you will know the difference. Look for Zatarains or make friends with someone who can ship you the real thing.
• •For a heartier version, fold in half a pound of diced tasso or andouille that you have crisped in a dry skillet. Let the meat cool completely before adding. That's how we serve it at Lagniappe when we want to show off.

Advance Preparation

• •Macaroni salad improves with time. Make it up to three days ahead and store covered in the refrigerator. Stir well and adjust seasoning before serving.
• •Hard-boiled eggs can be made up to five days ahead and stored unpeeled in the refrigerator.
• •The dressing can be mixed a day ahead and refrigerated separately, then combined with freshly cooked and cooled pasta.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 175g)