Southern Style Couch-Potato Salad

This simple potato salad will have you dreaming of summer picnics from the couch of your quarantine apartment.

While trying to meal plan for weeks at a time during quarantine I am having a very hard time finding vegetables that will stay fresh in my fridge for longer than two days. Enter, the humble potato. I know in modern times we don’t consider the potato a vegetable, but let’s give the little guys some credit. They’re rich in potassium, vitamin C, and fiber and also absolutely delicious. Boil a few extra potatoes to cut up for breakfast hashbrowns or throw them into a loaf of fluffy potato bread. Don’t forget to save some of the starchy cooking liquid to thicken sauces or feed to your sourdough starter (I know you have one.) I could wax poetic for hours about my waxy meal saviors the potatoes, but instead I’ll just leave you with this recipe for southern-style potato salad.

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Yield: approximately 6 cups or 1 picnic size bowl

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. potatoes, peeled, boiled under fork tender, and cooled, approximately 6 Yukon Golds or 3 Russets of average size
• 4 hardboiled eggs, peeled and cooled
• 1 stem celery, finely chopped
• 1 green onion or 2 Tbsp minced chives
• 2 Tbsp dill, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp pickle relish
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley or 1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp paprika plus additional for garnish
• 1/4 Cup pickle juice
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/3 Cup buttermilk
• 1/2 Cup mayo
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch chunks and place in a large bowl. Rough chop hardboiled eggs and add to the potato bowl. Keep in mind that as you mix these ingredients will breakdown some so I like to cut them a tiny bit bigger than I want them.
2. To the bowl and celery, green onion, dill, relish, parsley, and paprika. Season liberally with salt and pepper and mix together until combined.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together pickle juice, Dijon, buttermilk and mayo.
4. Add approximately 3/4th of the liquid to the potato mixture and stir to combine. Taste the potato salad to determine if you want to add the remaining liquid. The potatoes will absorb a lot of liquid so save the liquid just in case. I like my potato salad heavily dressed.
5. Add remaining liquid if using, taste salad and add additional seasoning as needed.
6. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika or additional herbs.
7. Cover and chill before serving.
8. Potato salad will keep for a week refrigerated.
9. Enjoy!