Cooks Country – Serves 12

In the 1980s, my mother, Grammie Lambie, moved to Oahu, home of the plate lunch. Since 1961, locals, surfers, and tourists have flocked to Rainbow’s Drive-In for the beloved plate lunch. The low cost, generous servings, and serious comfort food made it a popular go-to location. The heaping plates of food included proteins (fish, chicken, teriyaki beef), white rice, and macaroni salad.  

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is an essential part of any plate lunch. The salad has a rich and creamy base with just the right amount of tang from the cider vinegar and sweetness from the carrots. The secret is to slightly overcook the pasta to a soft, plump texture that enhances the creaminess. A generous amount of mayonnaise coats the pasta and is typically made with Best Foods Mayonnaise. After my Mom moved back to the mainland there were many things we missed about visiting Hawai, somehow this Mac Salad brings  back our fond memories of the time we spent with her there. 

Ingredients

• 2 C Whole milk 
• 2 C Mayonnaise (Best Foods)
• 1 T Brown sugar  
• 1 Lb. Elbow macaroni  
• ¼ C Cider vinegar  
• 4 Scallions, sliced thin 
• 1 Large carrot, peeled and grated 
• 1 Celery rib, chopped fine 
• Salt and pepper 

Directions

• Whisk 1½ cups milk, 1 cup mayonnaise, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and two teaspoons pepper in a bowl to make the dressing.
• Cook Pasta – Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add one 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. Cool pasta 10 minutes, then stir in dressing until pasta is well coated. Cool completely.
• Add carrot, celery, remaining milk, and remaining mayonnaise to the pot with the pasta mixture and stir to combine—season with salt and pepper. 
• Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. 
• If you use scallions add just prior to serving otherwise they get kind of brutish in flavor.