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Classic Picnic Potato Salad

Everybody in the South has their own potato-salad recipe, and our version, using red potatoes and the coarse-ground, zippy Creole mustard, makes this a winner. Be sure to drain your potatoes thoroughly, because additional water will dilute the fantastic ingredients in the salad. It’s best to dress the potatoes while they’re still warm, so they can fully absorb the flavors.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

3 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Creole mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar
3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Drop the potatoes into a large pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Drain the potatoes well in a colander.

    Step 2

    Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, celery, red onion, apple-cider vinegar, dill, celery seed, and chopped eggs in a large bowl. Fold in the warm potatoes, and toss to combine. Cover the salad with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight for the best flavor.

Image may contain: Pat Neely, Human, Person, Food, Meal, Restaurant, Cafeteria, and Buffet
Reprinted with permission from The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Nelly. Copyright © 2011 by Pat and Gina Nelly with Anna Volkwein. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends. Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.
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