Cook's Country Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

Cook's Country Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

As I have mentioned in the Huli Huli Chicken post it is the method that is used to make this macaroni salad that I find so intriguing and will use for any macaroni/pasta salad containing mayonaise. It goes against all we have learned to overcook the macaroni to any degree of doneness past al dente, doesn't it? However what happens here is pretty cool. The overcooked pasta is now like a "sponge" and it first soaks up the vinegar then soaks up the first application of dressing and has now magically (to me anyway) filled up with all of these flavors and is no longer mushy. Then a smaller second dressing is added to make it creamy. You know how if you make macaroni salad ahead of time you quite often have to add more mayonaise before serving? Not if you do it this way. We ate leftover salad over the course of a week and I never had to remoisten it! Cool huh!?! These things excite me ;). I added green peas because we like them in our macaroni salad but they are not part of the original recipe. Enjoy!

Recipe: Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Cook's Country Magazine, June 2009
Note: Low-fat milk or mayonaise will make the dressing too thin.
Serves 8-10
"Macaroni Salad is an integral part of what's known as a "plate lunch," Hawaiian's version of diner food: one big scoop macaroni, two big scoops sticky white rice, plus a big portion of a satisfying protein like huli huli chicken. Plate lunches can be found at fund-raisers, church picnics, and beach parking lot trucks throughout the Islands."


Ingredients
2 cups whole milk
s cups mayonaise
1 tablespoon brown sugar
salt and pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni
1/2 cup cider vinegar
4 scallions, sliced thin
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 celery rib, chopped fine


1. Make Dressing. Whisk 1-1/2 cups milk, 1 cup mayonnaise, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons black pepper in a bowl.


2. Cook Pasta. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and pasta and cook until very soft, about 15 minutes. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add vinegar and toss until absorbed. Transfer to a bowl. Cool pasta 10 minutes,then stir in dressing until pasta is well coated. Cool completely.


3. Make Salad. Add scallions, carrot, celery, remaining 1/2 cup milk and remaining 1 cup of mayonaise to pasta mixture and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Serve.