CK's KITCHEN: Best Classic Potato Salad makes for a healthy spoonful

When I think back to July 2024, we had just finished an enormous patio project during a heat dome, laying the last brick at 4 p.m. on July 3 and just in time for what would become my annual Fourth of July shindig. This year was less stressful but still felt like the same amount of work for me, as I had carved out time during all of June, prepping my yard with new flower beds and fencing, purchasing a new Amish-built outdoor dining table, creating a mural on the back of my garage and in the week leading up to the picnic, planning a menu and selecting my recipes. It had been years since I made a homemade potato salad and since I had decided to make all of the main dishes myself (I'm my own worst enemy), I researched online to find this one, hailed at the Best Classic Potato Salad by The Kitchn. Vinegar, herbs and Dijon While the title says "classic," so many elements of this potato salad seemed anything but. From cutting the potatoes before boiling, to dressing them with vinegar and then letting them cool before mixing with mayo mixture to the herbs, shallots and Dijon. But I was here for all of it! I doubled the recipe because like any hostess, I needed twice the amount of food necessary to feed the 20-30 people who would be coming over. Four pounds of potatoes took the longest to chop into pieces, and I'll admit I brought out my measuring tape to see if I was hitting the ¾-inch mark. It was hit or miss but they were boiled to fork tender in 8 minutes. Regardless of the size, that is the important element to doneness. Kitchn improv First, I really dislike the way kitchn is spelled on this website, which boasts 26 million home cooks, 9,000 recipes and 5.5 million social followers. It reminds me of a silly text abbreviation that is unnecessary and looks like a typo. While this recipe came together quite easily, I totally missed shallots (found one in the pantry though) and parsley or dill on the ingredient list. I felt confident that I could pull this potato salad off without these and I was right. I chose to use sweet pickles, red potatoes and avocado mayo. The end result: A delicious Dijon-forward potato salad that delivered at my cookout. Everyone made room for a healthy spoonful alongside my slow cooker ribs, hamburgers and hot dogs, and other competing sides of macaroni salad, bean salad and mac and cheese. I can't say it's my favorite or the best potato salad I've ever had but it is very good and it might be better for those two additional ingredients, to be fair. Let me know if you make this salad and what you think! Contact Chrissy Kadleck at ckadleck@sbcglobal.net. Best classic potato salad recipe 2 pounds red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes 2½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed 3 hard-boiled large eggs (optional) 2 dill pickle spears or ¼ cup sweet pickle relish 2 medium stalks celery 1 large shallot 2 medium scallions, optional ¼ small bunch fresh parsley, dill, or a combination ½ cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar, divided Freshly ground black pepper Cut 2 pounds red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes into 3/4-inch chunks (peel first if desired). Place the potatoes and 2 teaspoons of the kosher salt in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover the potatoes by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, 8 to 10 minutes.Meanwhile, prepare the following, adding each to the same medium bowl as you complete it: Peel and dice 3 hard-boiled large eggs if using; dice two dill pickle spears (about 1/3 cup, or measure out ¼ cup sweet pickle relish) and 2 medium celery stalks (about 3/4 cup); mince 1 large shallot (about ¼ cup); thinly slice 2 medium scallions if using (¼ cup); finely chop ¼ small bunch fresh parsley, dill, or a combination until you have 2 tablespoons; add remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon of the apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar, and stir to combine.Drain the potatoes well in a colander, then transfer the potatoes to a rimmed baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar evenly over the potatoes. Let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.Add the potatoes to the bowl of dressing and fold to combine. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day before serving.Recipe Notes Make ahead: The potato salad can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Makes 6-8 servings Source: www.thekitchn.com