Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

Bring 2 liters of heavily salted water (1 tablespoon kosher salt) to a rolling boil over high heat. Add 225 grams dry elbow macaroni, stir to prevent sticking, and cook for 12 minutes until very tender (past traditional al dente, as pasta firms when chilled). Drain thoroughly without rinsing, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.

While the drained macaroni is still hot, drizzle with 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of the apple cider vinegar, toss gently to coat every noodle evenly, then let it cool to room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent noodles from clumping together.

While the pasta cools, combine 180 ml full-fat mayonnaise, 60 ml whole milk, remaining 15 ml (1 tablespoon) apple cider vinegar, 12 grams granulated sugar, 5 grams kosher salt, and 2 grams ground black pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk continuously for 1 minute until the dressing is completely smooth with no visible lumps of mayonnaise.

While waiting for pasta to cool, peel and finely grate 75 grams carrot, dice 50 grams celery into 3mm (1/8-inch) pieces, mince 30 grams yellow onion into very fine pieces, and chop 2 cooled hard-boiled eggs into 6mm (1/4-inch) chunks. Pat the minced onion lightly with a paper towel to remove excess sharp, bitter juice if desired.

Once the pasta has fully cooled to room temperature (no remaining warmth when touched), pour the entire batch of creamy dressing over the macaroni, then add the grated carrot, diced celery, minced onion, and chopped hard-boiled egg. Fold gently with a rubber spatula for 2 minutes until every noodle and mix-in is evenly coated in dressing.

Cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour (up to 24 hours for deeper flavor) to let the flavors meld. Before serving, stir the salad briefly, adding 15 ml (1 tablespoon) extra whole milk if the dressing has thickened too much during chilling.