From the menu of … Lettuce Souprise You, 2470 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta. 404-636-8549; www. mylettucesoupriseyou.com
Q. I wanted to see whether you can get the recipe for Lettuce Souprise You's Idaho Potato Salad. It has a flavor unlike any other potato salad that I've tasted. They don't have it on the salad bar every day, so it's hit or miss when you come there. I'd love to get the recipe so I can make it myself. — Tammy Feinreich, Atlanta
A. Chieu Sok, the kitchen manager for Lettuce Souprise You, was happy to provide the recipe. Sok says that this salad and the restaurant's Signature Potato Salad are two of the most popular items on the salad bar. This particular recipe appears about once a week. Even though we've cut the quantities from the restaurant's much larger batch, you may wish to cut it down again. The potato salad will keep about three days in your refrigerator.
Although called “Idaho” potato salad, the recipe uses red potatoes rather than the russet baking potatoes you might expect. Cooking the potatoes in unsalted water plays up the sweetness of the potatoes, and letting them stand after cooking makes sure there’s no cooking liquid to dilute the dressing.
Is there a recipe from a metro Atlanta restaurant you’d like to make at home? Tell us and we’ll try to get it. We’ll also test it and adapt it for the home kitchen. Because of volume, we can’t answer all inquiries. Send your request, your address and phone number to fromthemenu@gmail.com and put “From the menu of” and the name of restaurant in the subject line.
Lettuce Souprise You’s Idaho Potato Salad
Hands on: 25 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes plus resting time
Makes: 16 cups
The potatoes for this salad are never peeled. Sok says they cook the potatoes ahead of time and let them rest half a day before dressing in order to make sure the potatoes are completely dry. When chopping the celery, they never include the leaves because they find the leaves to be bitter.
5 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups mayonnaise
5/8 cup sweet pickle relish
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup honey-Dijon mustard
2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3/4 pound carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 pound red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 hard boiled eggs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil. Add potatoes and stir occasionally while cooking. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and let rest.
In a medium bowl, make dressing by combining mayonnaise, relish, sugar, mustard, vinegar and salt. Stir until well combined. Set aside.
Move potatoes to a large bowl. Add celery, carrots, onion and eggs and toss together. Add dressing and stir lightly until everything is mixed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Per 1-cup serving: 374 calories (percent of calories from fat, 59), 5 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 26 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 76 milligrams cholesterol, 386 milligrams sodium.
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