BEST BASIC POTATO SALAD

When I was growing up, my mother regularly made potato salad during the summer. I had a love-hate relationship with the quintessential American dish during those years. I loved the potatoes and hard-boiled eggs smothered in creamy mayonnaise, but I hated the crunchy onions and vinegary pickles. A few years ago I finally decided to start making potato salad myself, challenging myself to create a flavorful dish that omitted the things I disliked. My version is comfort food for hot weather: It has a soft, creamy texture and no dominating flavors. Of course, like all comfort foods, it is high in fat, so don’t eat it too often.

Potato salad has become a classic American dish for picnics. National Picnic Month is almost over, so whip up a bowl of potato salad, find a beautiful spot in nature, and enjoy an outdoor meal. Just be sure, with the eggs and mayonnaise in this salad, that you keep it cold. If you can’t keep it cold on your picnic, eat it at home and picnic with Rotini and Black Bean Salad instead.

For my potato salad I use red or Yukon gold potatoes because they are less likely to fall apart when boiled than russet potatoes. I discovered that I don’t mind onions in potato salad as long are they are mild green onions. Since I don’t like vinegar but I still want to add a bit more flavor to my potato salad, I add dry mustard to the mayonnaise. My husband loves pickles, so he sometimes chops some up and adds them to his serving of potato salad. If you like pickles, by all means add them to your potato salad (about ⅓ cup chopped pickle would be good for this recipe).

BEST BASIC POTATO SALAD

1½ pounds red or Yukon gold potatoes
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

1. Wash potatoes well, peel them if desired, and chop them into ½-inch pieces. Place them in a medium saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered until tender but not at all mushy, 5-10 minutes (check them frequently after 5 minutes). Drain, rinse in cold water, and then drain again.
2. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Toss gently with onions and eggs. In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Gently fold mayonnaise mixture into potato mixture. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition facts per serving: 148 calories, 17 g total fat, 95 mg cholesterol, 324 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 0 g sugars, 5 g protein.