Hoppin' John's Southern Potato Salad

Along with burgers and hot dogs, a good potato salad is a quintessential part of a cookout, and this one is a classic. It’s dressed with mayonnaise, mustard and juice from the sweet pickle jar and incorporates fresh herbs for taste and greenery.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boiling potatoes or new potatoes, scrubbed and unpeeled
• 1 ½ cups minced celery
• 1 cup scallions, cut in thin slices, including some of the green
• 3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 heaping tablespoon prepared mustard
• ½ cup sweet pickles, diced with some juice from the jar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, like parsley and chives
• Paprika to taste

6 servings

Preparation

1. Cut potatoes in half if large, put in a pot and add enough lightly salted water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, and cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, until tender. Drain. Peel if desired, and cut into 1 1/2-inch wedges.
2. In a large serving bowl, mix the potato pieces with the celery, scallions and eggs.
3. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, mustard, pickle cubes and juice; toss with the potatoes. Season to taste with salt and peppers. Sprinkle with chopped herbs and dust with paprika. Serve slightly chilled.