Moscow-Pullman Daily News Blogs

Since high temperatures and sunny weather still prevail in the Valley, a salad recipe received today sounded good to me.  It was in the current issue of Cook’s Country and was billed as Hawaii’s answer to “diner food.”

Also noted was the fact that although Hawaiian cooks tend to cook their macaroni until it’s “fat,” it turns out they know what they’re doing since it enables the pasta to absorb more dressing and flavor, so the dressing has to be thin enough to soak in.

Aloha!

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

• 2 cups whole milk (low-fat milk or mayonnaise will make the dressing too thin)

• 2 cups mayonnaise (see note above)

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar

• salt and pepper

• 1 pound elbow macaroni

• ½ cup cider vinegar

• 4 scallions, sliced thin

• 1 large carrot, peeled and grated

• 1 celery rib, chopped fine

Make Dressing:  Whisk 1 ½ cups milk, 1 cup mayonnaise, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper in bowl.

Cook pasta.  Bring 4 quarts water to bowl in large pot.  Add 1 tablespoon 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 bowl.  Cook pasta 10 minutes, then stir in dressing until pasta is well coated.  Cool completely.

Make salad.  Add scallions, carrot, celery, remaining milk and remaining mayonnaise to pot with pasta mixture and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer to serving bowl and refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.  Serve.

Serves 8 to 10.