Mention potato salad to me and I instantly think of my mom's standard potato salad which I enjoyed when I was growing up. Potato salad to me means long summer days and the smell of freshly cut grass in the air. As the sun started to dip, Dad would be outside firing up the barbeque and preparing the grill not with the pedestrian burgers or hot dogs, but usually with a nice rolled roast he picked up from the local meat market. Corn on the cob was another standard menu item for the dog days of summer, but far and beyond, Mom's potato salad was the best.

That was long ago. Mom and Dad are both gone now but their legacy of enjoying great food and great company live on in me. When inviting friends over for those summer swim parties or evening soirees, potato salad is still on the menu plank and is always in demand. The day of the barbeque it's a great addition to a fine meal, and the following day, the leftovers are a great and satisfying lunch.

My potato salad differs a bit from Mom's, but the basics are the same. I start with six to eight or so red potatoes, peeled and boiled. Once cooked and drained, I chop then into bite size pieces as they fall from my hand into the bowl. To the cooked potatoes I'll add three to four quartered hard boiled eggs. Next I add a small can of sliced ripe olives and four or five sliced sweet pickles. After that, I'll add two medium onions, chopped and a clove of garlic, finely minced. I add two or three stalks of celery (about a cup to a cup and a quarter), chopped. I save the tops of the celery for a garnish.

In terms of the dressing, I mix about three-quarters of a cup of mayonaise, a quarter cup of heavy cream, and a quarter cup of sour cream together. To the dressing mixture I add some finely chopped chives, a half teaspoon of salt, and a a tablespoon of chopped dill. When the dressing is mixed together well, I pour it over the other ingredients in the salad bowl and toss it gently, so as not to break up too much of the potatoes.

When all is folded together and the dressing coats the other ingredients nicely, I line a salad bowl with leaves or Romaine lettuce and then put the potato salad mixture in the bowl. The Romaine leaves protrude from just above the rim of the bowl and give the salad a very nice look. Next I'll take some very small cherry tomatoes and I place them around the edge of the bowl to make a beautiful red circle. In the center of the circle I sprinkle a bit of paprika, just for color and then finish the presentation with a garnish of chopped celery leaves right in the middle.

The salad looks great and always gets nice comments from guests. Let's face it, we eat with our eyes as well as with our mouths, and everyone likes to eat something that looks good.

For those who need a list to look at, the ingredients are as follows:

Salad:
6 to 8 red potatoes, peeled and boiled
2 small onions chopped
1 - 1 1/4 cups of chopped celery; save the tops for garnish
1 can of sliced ripe olives, drained
4 or 5 sweet gherkin pickles sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 carton of small cherry tomatoes
5 or 6 leaves of Romaine lettuce

Dressing:
1/2 cup of Best Foods Mayonaise
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon of chopped dill
1-2 tablespoons of finely chopped chives

That's it. Give it a try and see how you like it. Feel free to substitute any of the ingredients and make this recipe your own.

Bon Appetit!

Learn more about this author, Hans Schwartz.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Recipes: Creamy garden potato salad?
We want to hear your view. Write now!