Rosanne Cash's Potato Salad

We had an "End of the Summer/Back to School/Jeremy Hates Winter" BBQ at our house 2 weekends ago. We invited friends, grilled burgers, drank watermelon lemonade and sangria, had cobbler, built a fire, made dough boys and played a round of gin rummy. Good times, indeed. We also ate this potato salad.

It's a very Americana style potato salad. How could it not be given that it is Roseanne Cash's (Johnny Cash's daughter) recipe? It's classic in every way and if you want potato salad that tastes as it ought to, I recommend it highly! Sure, there are times where a french style potato salad, with a vinaigrette dressing instead of mayo based, is more appropriate; but not at a down home BBQ...I'm just sayin'.

The dressing is in fact mayonnaise based, but it is highly flavored with mustard and vinegar so it's not heavy. You mix it in with the usual suspects (hard boiled eggs, onion and celery) and a not so usual suspect (dill pickle). Do you add dill pickles to your potato salad? I've never heard of it, but apparently people do it, and you should too because it's just perfect here. You use the small red skinned potatoes, un peeled, which is awesome and fresh dill finishes it off perfectly. It would certainty be a great addition to your Labor Day weekend menu.

Rosanne Cash's Potato Salad

Adapted from Bon Appetit via Smitten Kitchen

Serves at least 8

3 pounds medium red-skinned potatoes, un peeled, scrubbed

8 dill pickle spears or a handful of cornichon, coarsely shopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

3 celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 small red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

4 hard boiled eggs, peeled, chopped

2/3 cup mayonaise

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (I only had white vinegar so I used that)

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

salt and pepper to taste (salt brings out all the flavor, so don't be shy)

Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool, then cut potatoes into chunks and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in pickles, celery, onion, eggs, mayonnaise, vinegar and dill. Season potato salad with salt and pepper to taste.

Do ahead: Vegetables and dressing can be prepared and stored separately a day or two in advance. mix and let stand at room temperature one hour before serving.

We were lucky enough to have potato salad left over to munch on. In fact, I believe it's the ONLY thing we ate for lunch the day after. It's addicting. Be warned.