My mother-in-law Millie grew up in a small rural town outside of Chicago and was an excellent cook and baker, who inherited her culinary talent from a long line of women who knew their way around a kitchen.
She made wonderful fruit-filled Kolaches during the holidays, and in the fall, a rich apple strudel when the fruit was at its peak, expertly wrapped in a tender, cinnamon-scented crust that crackled with every bite.
Her cornbread was excellent, and made from scratch, and never with any sugar (that’s cake). Her homemade barbecue sauce was thick and memorable, with just the right balance of sweet and sour.
But she was legendary for her creamy, delicious, and perfectly seasoned potato salad, at least among her family members.
Turns out, she knew a thing or two about how to make it directly from the source: her parents had a business collecting fresh eggs from small farms in rural Iowa — and each egg was manually inspected by Millie’s mother with a bright light to ensure its quality before being delivered to Hellman’s/Best Foods mayonnaise company, which at that time was located near their home in Berwyn, Ill.
Her recipe is similar to theirs, with a few important tweaks. This classic version is a beloved family favorite, and no summer feast of slow-cooked shredded pork roast, barbecue baked beans, and peach cobbler felt complete without it — it was always the side dish everyone looked forward to.
This recipe is easy if you don’t mind a little boiling, grating, chopping, and slicing, and Millie’s “secret” tips for success have stood the test of time — only waxy red or gold potatoes will do.
Use the large hole side of a box cheese grater to make easy work of dicing the hard-boiled eggs, assemble the recipe while the potatoes are still warm, and don’t skip the final sprinkle of celery salt just before serving — it elevates every bite.
Who knows? Maybe Millie’s version of this classic summer side dish will become your forever potato salad recipe, too.
Ingredients
• 4 pounds yellow or red potatoes, peeled and left whole
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 9 large eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and grated (the large hole side of a box cheese grater is great for this)
• ½ cup celery, thinly sliced
• 5 green onions, sliced (white part only)
• ½ cup sweet Gherkin pickles, chopped into small pieces
• ½ cup carrot, peeled and grated on a box grater
• 1 cup (or more) of Best Foods/Hellman’s mayonnaise (regular, not low-fat)
• 2 tablespoons of brine (juice) from the jar of Gherkin pickles
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• ½ teaspoon celery salt, plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
Fill a large pot (four quarts) halfway with water and add a tablespoon of salt. Heat the water to a boil while you peel the potatoes, leaving them whole.
Add the potatoes to the boiling water, making sure the potatoes are covered by at least two inches of water. Boil on medium heat just until knife-tender but not falling apart, about 25 minutes.
Drain the water, then transfer the potatoes to a plate or clean kitchen towel until they’re cool enough to handle, but still warm. Cut the warm potatoes into 1-2-inch pieces and add them to a large bowl.
Add the grated hard-boiled eggs, celery, green onions, pickles, and carrots. In a separate bowl, mix the mayonnaise, pickle brine, salt and pepper, celery salt, and Dijon mustard. Pour this over the salad and toss gently from the bottom up with a large spoon until everything is incorporated.
Chill in the refrigerator for several hours and serve with a sprinkle of celery salt before serving.
Millie’s tips
Boil the eggs in a medium-sized saucepan for 11-12 minutes for hard middles (this step can be done in advance). Peel while warm. Gently grate them using the large hole side of a box grater or chop them into small pieces with a knife.
Compile the whole salad while the potatoes are still warm. If the salad seems too dry, add a little more mayonnaise, one tablespoon at a time, and gently toss. Taste it and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Waxy gold or red potatoes are best for this recipe, not russets. And jarred sweet Gherkin pickles are the best. This salad tastes best when chilled in the refrigerator for at least three hours. Before serving, gently stir the whole salad with a large spoon from the bottom.
Sprinkle a little (1/4 teaspoon) celery salt on top of each serving, or a little more over the whole salad if you’re serving it family-style from the bowl.
Paige Thomason is a sixth-generation Nevadan and devoted home cook who grew up in Carson City and runs the recipe site studiodelicious.com.