Mom's Best Cajun Potato Salad

Mom is back in the Chintzy kitchen with her delish Cajun Potato Salad recipe video - I say mashed potatoes, she says not....hmmm, there could be potato peels flying and a rumble in the scullery because of a few choice words.

This is one delish side dish however you describe it. My Mom recently visited the cheap$kate kitchen in Los Angeles and whipped up a luscious Cajun Potato Salad for your viewing pleasure.

And boy is Mom as feisty as ever. Just watch our repartee as I tease her about the recipe. Will there be trouble brewing? Well, I won't spill the beans here, you'll have to watch the video to see if I get my just desserts!

And my niece, Maranda, makes an appearance half way through the recipe video to mash things up. Maranda is a recent arrival to Los Angeles and is a welcome addition to my cheap$kate cooking staff (plus, she's some delish eye candy, too boot). When Mom is in the kitchen, everyone is welcome to come and taste her recipes - the more the merrier, I say.

Mom & Maranda in the Cheap$kate Château

So what is a Cajun Potato Salad? Just Google the name (Cajun or Creole Potato Salad) and you will see different versions - most are made using cooked, but chunky, potatoes. My Mom cooks up a "mashed potatoes" version.

Mom uses red potatoes for her recipe, but you can use white or regular russet potatoes, too. Any potato you use is tasty and cheap, so go for it.

The other ingredients are standard for typical potato salads, mainly: mayo, mustard, pickle relish and some seasonings - for a Cajun Potato Salad you want to add a sprinkle of Creole Seasoning. I bet you have seen these containers in your grocery store spice rack, too. It's okay to use any cheap brand you find.

 I get my condiments for pocket change from my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree.

You can mix in lite, vegan or regular mayo - use regular mustard or Dijon. Pickle relish is cheap enough. Adjust any ingredient amount to suit yourself, or your fellow diners taste buds.

Click on any photo to see larger.

This recipe travels well for a picnic. Refrigerate like any potato salad. I like to sprinkle Creole Seasoning on the top for a colorful party presentation.

Packed for a BBQ patio party.

Mom's Cajun Potato Salad goes with any of my Cajun family recipes (click on the name,) including:Gumbo, Shrimp & Grits, Muffaletta Sandwich, Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice, Jambalaya, Blackened Fish, Crawfish Etouffee, Black-eyed Peas, Pecan-crusted Fish & Spinach Salad, and an Alligator Po'Boy.

 Cajun Potato Salad & Seafood Gumbo

Mom's Cajun Potato Salad goes with any backyard BBQ menu. And if you have a pot luck party to attend then bring a chilled bowl of it.

So check out my latest recipe video below. When Mom is in the house, get ready to be well-fed!

Mom's Cajun Potato Salad - VIDEO

Play it here, video runs 6 minutes, 27 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients

• 4-5 red potatoes - peeled and roughly chopped. Okay to use white or russet potatoes.
• 2 tablespoons mayo - or a vegan substitute. Add more mayo or less to meet your taste.
• 1 tablespoon mustard - any type, including Dijon. Again adjust amount to your taste.
• 1 tablespoon pickle relish - okay to add a couple chopped slices of pickle.
• Water to boil potatoes - reserve some liquid for mashing of potatoes - if necessary.
• Cajun or Creole Seasonings - optional. Just a dash or 1/4 teaspoon.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions
This recipe is similar to regular potato salad, just cook the potatoes until soft enough for mashing. And adjust ingredient amounts to suit your taste. If you like a lot of mayo in your potato salad then add extra. Add more mustard, or even leave it out.

Start by getting a pot of water to boil. Wash potatoes and peel. Roughly chop peeled potatoes.

Click on any photo to see larger.

Add to boiling water. Low boil for about 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender. Since potatoes are mashed, you can't overcook them.

You can boil unpeeled potatoes whole or just halved, and pull off skin after they are soft and cooled down. There is less potato waste when you peel potatoes after they are boiled.

 Peeling a Boiled Potato

Drain potatoes when done, but be sure to reserve a cup or two of liquid. You can add some of the liquid, a tablespoon at a time, once potatoes are mashed, until desired creaminess is reached.

Next add drained potatoes to a bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork. Add a tablespoon or two of reserved liquid if necessary.

Now mix in all the other ingredients. Mom added 2 heaping tablespoons of mayo, a tablespoon of regular mustard and pickle relish. Add more or less of the wet ingredients to suit your flavor profile.

Season Mom's Cajun Potato Salad with salt, pepper and Cajun (or Creole) Seasoning.

Stir ingredients until smooth. Taste and add any extra ingredient amounts. That's it. Store Mom's Cajun Potato Salad covered in refrigerator until ready to serve.

This recipe travels well for a picnic, and goes with any of my Cajun family recipes (click on any name,) including: Gumbo, Shrimp & Grits, Muffaletta Sandwich, Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice, Jambalaya, Blackened Fish, Crawfish Etouffee, Black-eyed Peas, Pecan-crusted Fish & Spinach Salad, and an Alligator Po'Boy. If you have a backyard BBQ planned, or a pot luck party to attend, then bring a bowl of Mom's Cajun Potato Salad.

Hindsight
Mom's Cajun Potato Salad is mashed, but you can do a "chunky" version sometime. Just don't boil the potatoes to mush - leave them a little firm by shortening the boiling time. The potato chunks only need to be fork tender - roughly chop potatoes. It's okay to leave some potato skin on.

For "mashed" Potato Salad you should peel the potatoes. And adjust the wet ingredients to suit your, or any guests, tastes. If you don't have Creole Seasoning, then leave it out.

If you want a little crunchy veggie texture, then add a half cup each of fine chopped onion and/or celery.

Classic Potato Salad - Recipe Video

You are entering Carb Heaven, please take a seat at my celestial table! Summer is here and it's time for a picnic or patio party cold Potato Salad! You know you want to serve it with your next backyard barbeque.

Nothing better than a creamy cool side with your hot grilled burger, whether it's a veggie one or a beefy one.

Potatoes are the cheapest vegetable. I get mine at my local Latin Market, Superior Grocers,  or 99c only Stores.

I like a little crunch in my Potato Salad, so there is chopped celery and onion. And these are cheap ingredients, too!

I like a rich Potato Salad with the addition of boiled eggs and a lot of real mayo. It's up to you how many eggs and the amount of mayo you like.

And Vegan Potato Salad can be had by leaving out the eggs and substituting vegan mayo.

You can get budge condiments like mustard and pickle relish at a regular grocery or Dollar Tree.

Of course, you can keep the Potato Salad vegan and use a mayo substitute and leave out the eggs.

This recipe comes together quite easily. Just boil the potatoes for an hour and the eggs for 10 minutes. Let them cool down then chop, chop, chop.

I peel my potatoes, but you can leave some skin on for a rustic version -- okay a lazy version!

I use about 5 large Russet potatoes on sale, but you can use more expensive Red or White potatoes, too.

My Mom makes a creamy Cajun Potato Salad that is more like mashed potatoes. I like her version too, and you can see it by clicking here.

Spring and summertime are when I pull out my yummy homemade Potato Salad. I'll make it several times for sure, and for the 4 of July too!

Potato Salad - Video

Play it here, video runs 2 minutes, 46 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Ingredients

• 4 or 5 russet potatoes - large. Roughly mashed or cubed.
• 4 eggs - I used medium size. Okay to use less.
• 1/2 chopped onion - I like a finely chopped onion. 
• 1 stalk celery -  chopped.
• 3/4 cup mayo - add more or less to suit your tastes.
• 1 tablespoons mustard - any type, I used brown mustard.
• 2 tablespoons pickle relish - sweet or regular.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions
Start by rinsing potatoes and add to a pot to a low boil. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour, until they are easily pierced with a fork or knife.

Remove and allow to cool down for 5 or 10 minutes. When they are cool enough peel them. Potatoes are easier to peel when cooked.

Roughly break them apart into bite-sized pieces. Add to a large bowl.

You can boil eggs at the same time, but just for 10 minutes. Allow them to cool down afterward. Peel and roughly chop eggs.

Chop half an onion and one whole rib of celery. I like to chop these a little on the fine side -- not too chunky. Just my preference.

Now time to bring it all together in a large bowl. Add chopped veggies and egg.

Add 2 tablespoons of pickle relish, a tablespoon of any fave mustard and 3/4 cup of mayo.

Okay to add a couple tablespoons of mayo at a time to reach desired creaminess. Mix as you go and give a quick taste as you add relish, mustard, and mayo and stop when you like it!

Finally, add a little salt and pepper. Again, taste and adjust to your liking.

Mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

I've made a Potato Salad without celery and pickle relish, so you can adapt my recipe to the ingredients you can afford, or have on hand.

Jambalaya Shoppe - Swamp Chef Cheap$kate Review

The Swamp Chef was literally born on the bayou. You've heard of a brother from another mother? Well, the 99 Cent Chef and the Swamp Chef are lads from different dad! Now, that's a story Mom will have to tell on another day.

Both chefs know how to eat cheaply, too. While the 99 Cent Chef is a city boy from Los Angeles feasting on street tacos, the Swamp Chef roams the backroads and swamps of the South, digging deep for fried and long simmering Cajun eats.

When I'm in Louisiana visiting Mom, I often run into the Swamp Chef and am only too happy to tag along and shoot him trying out the local cuisine.

Our first video together is done in Gonzales, Louisiana, known as the Jambalaya Capital of the World.

You can get Cajun-style Jambalaya all over town, but for the cheapest and tastiest look no further than The Jambalaya Shoppe.

Click on any photo to see larger.

 It is a small roadside stand with friendly service. Click here to read a nice article about their 26th Anniversary. And since the food is pre-cooked, your order is ready in a couple of minutes. And don't worry, Jambalaya tastes even better when it has been setting a while.

Cajun-style Jambalaya is different than Creole-style. There is no tomato sauce in Cajun-style Jambalaya - just meat, seasonings and rice.  You can go to New Orleans for tomato Creole-style Jambalaya.

Of course, the locals make Jambalaya the way they like it, usually with sauteed onion, garlic and Cajun seasonings. As for meat you can get chicken and smoked sausage, or pork and smoked sausage. For this Cheap$kate Review, the Swamp Chef got Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya.

You can get only Jambalaya for $6, or order a plate that comes with Cajun Potato Salad and White Beans with a small white bread Dinner Roll for $7. It's a cheap and hearty plate that will fill you right up!

The White Beans are creamy tender - almost mushy, but in a rich flavorful way. They are mild tasting and not spicy.

And the Potato Salad is Cajun-style, that is, creamy with mayo and mustard, and the potato chunks extra soft. Our Mom has a delish version a click away, here.

As mentioned earlier the Jambalaya is a dry version, kinda like Dirty Rice or a Chinese stirfry rice. The rice soaks up the browning from the meat - that is the trick to making a Cajun-style Jambalaya. You can see how our Mom does hers another click away, here.

Jambalaya meat is either chicken or chunks of tender pork and sausage. Louisiana is known for meaty and pungent Andouille sausage, but this is closer to regular mild smoked sausage, although it's a chunky and rough ground link like Andouille sausage.

The links are on the small size, but you get plenty of slices. Cajun food is spicy, but this Jambalaya is not, so go ahead and feed the kids, and set out Louisiana hot sauce for the grown ups.

You can order large buckets of Jambalaya if you are throwing a party or have visitors. They have a few other menu items that come and go depending on the season, like Gumbo and Pastalaya (just like rice Jambalaya, but made with spaghetti.) I've had it all there and have not been disappointed.

You don't come here for the ambiance, you come here to chow down! Locals get Jambalaya to go, but there's a picnic table if you can't wait. And one word of warning, don't wait until the end of the day to get yours, often they will close early because they run out of Jambalaya.

Pastalaya

You can visit their website to see what's happening foodwise and get the exact address and serving hours. There are a dozen Jambalaya Shoppes in the area, now.

It was a hot day in Louisiana when I shot the Swamp Chef, but there is a local favorite way to cool things off...a drive-thru frosty Daiquair stop. Since I was shooting, we got the Happy Hour 2 for 1 special that day. We both like a White Russian, made with coffee and chocolate flavors and milk, plus plenty of Everclear alcohol -- Ooh, Wee.

If you have never had a local drive-thru Daiquiri think of a 7-Eleven convenience store Slurpee, with a boozy kick. Daiquiris come in many fruit flavors too, Mom likes her Strawberry Daiquiri, which you can see us getting ours, here.

After picking up the Daiquiris, I followed the Swamp Chef to Jambalaya Park in Gonzales. We sat ourselves down and shot the Cheap$kate Dining Review for my food blog. And how does a Jambalaya Plate with Cajun Potato Salad and White Beans by The Jambalaya Shoppe rate on my Cheap$kate Dining Scale of 1 to 9, 9 being best?

Well, check out my video below of the Swamp Chef to find out! And be sure to come back soon, I have more Swamp Chef episodes on the way.

Jambalaya Shoppe Cheap$kate Review - VIDEO

Play it here, video runs 4 minutes 46 seconds

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

My favorite Jambalaya Shoppe is here:
1503 N. Airline Hwy.
Gonzales, LA 70737
phone: 225-647-6050

Restaurant Hours
Monday-Wednesday: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Thursday-Saturday: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

*They sometimes close early if Jambalaya sells out!

Jambalaya Shoppe website is www.thejambalayashoppe.com