Serves 8
Growing up in Jakarta, Indonesia, Elsa Tian’s mother, Toos Gandanegara, made this all the time. The Burlington resident says that she added red beets to the potatoes, which turned the salad a rosy pink. For a more robust salad, Tian adds cooked chicken, ham, or roast beef.
| 6 | large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes |
| Salt and pepper, to taste | |
| 2 | fresh beets, trimmed and halved |
| 1 | tart apple, cut in ½-inch dice |
| 8 | small sweet gherkin pickles, coarsely chopped |
| 2 | tablespoons pickle juice |
| 1 | cup mayonnaise |
| 1 | teaspoon sugar, or more to taste |
| ½ | head Boston lettuce, leaves separated (for serving) |
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1. In a large saucepan combine potatoes, a generous pinch of salt, and cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes into a colander; cool.
2. In another saucepan, combine the beets, a generous pinch of salt, and cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Simmer the beets for 30 minutes or until they are cooked through. Drain, rinse with cold water until cool enough to handle, and transfer to a shallow bowl. Remove the beet skin with your fingers. Cut the beets into ½-inch pieces.
3. In a bowl, combine the beets, potatoes, apple, pickles, and pickle juice. Toss gently.
4. Add the mayonnaise, sugar, salt, and pepper. Fold the salad until the potatoes are covered. Cover and refrigerate for several hours before serving.
5. Line a platter with lettuce leaves. Mound the potato salad onto the leaves. Adapted from Elsa Tian