Potato Salad

My mother was a fabulous cook and always made a good potato salad. She would bring it to our weekly picnics in Griffith Park with Aunt Lillian, Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Stanley and many cousins. During these afternoon outings, my cousins and I would run, climb trees, throw Frisbees, and recoup under a canopy of trees. Sometimes we'd go to Ferndale which has a stream running through it. There, we'd play hide-and-seek or hunt for crawdads in the streams.  But wherever we picnicked, waiting for lunch to be served always seemed to be a most arduous task, especially when you know potato salad is in the offing.

Potato salad is a perfect side dish for a summer picnic. Hard-boiled eggs make it a special summer delight!

 

4 pounds red potatoes

½ cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ teaspoons salt
¾  teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1½ cups mayonnaise
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 large stalks celery, diced (1½  cups)
½ cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Garnish:
4 hard cooked eggs, quartered
parsley sprigs

1.    In large pot, cover potatoes with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook 25 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with sharp knife; drain potatoes in colander.

2.    While potatoes are cooking, whisk vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl until blended.

3.    When potatoes are cool enough to handle but still warm, cut into ¾-in. chunks. Add warm potatoes to vinegar mixture; gently stir to coat. Let cool to room temperature.

4.    In small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, milk and mustard until blended; pour over potatoes. Add celery, red onion and chopped parsley; stir gently to mix. Cover; refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

 

Before serving, garnish with egg quarters and parsley sprigs.

 

Potato salad can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.