Chef John'S Classic Macaroni Salad - cooking recipe

Ingredients
    1 cup mayonnaise
    1/4 cup white vinegar
    2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
    1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
    1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    1 tablespoon white sugar, or more to taste
    1 cup finely diced celery
    3/4 cup diced red bell pepper
    1/2 cup grated carrot
    1/2 cup chopped green onions, white and light parts
    1/4 cup diced jalapeno pepper
    1/4 cup diced poblano pepper
    1 (16 ounce) package uncooked elbow macaroni
    1 tablespoon mayonnaise (optional)
    1 tablespoon water (optional)
Preparation
    Whisk 1 cup mayonnaise, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl until well blended; whisk in sugar. Stir in celery, red bell pepper, carrot, onions, and jalapeno and poblano peppers. Refrigerate until macaroni is ready to dress.
    Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain but do not rinse. Allow macaroni to drain in a colander about 5 minutes, shaking out moisture from time to time. Pour macaroni into large bowl; toss to separate and cool to room temperature. Macaroni should be sticky.
    Pour dressing over macaroni and stir until dressing is evenly distributed. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or, ideally, overnight to allow dressing to absorb into the macaroni.
    Stir salad before serving. Mix 1 tablespoon mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon water into salad for fresher look.

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