Helen Farro's Italian Potato Salad

The second side dish I took to Toby's picnic was Helen's Italian Potato Salad.  I make this every summer -- and it is definitely one of my favorites!!

I wrote about it 4 years ago...and I love the picture of Lilly!

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My mother-in-law, Helen Farro, was the best cook I ever met. And I am grateful that she came along at a time in my life when I was eager to learn. Every summer, I look forward to making her Italian Potato Salad.

It starts off with the usual suspects -- boiled eggs, potatoes and celery...
But then, Helen would add fresh tomatoes, green beans (mine are frozen), black olives and fresh basil...

As with many things Helen cooked, there wasn't so much a "recipe" as a technique.  Here's a basic recipe for the dressing:

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 3 tablespoons Red Wine vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup good olive oil

 Whisk the first four ingredients while slowing adding the oil...until it's emulsified.  I'm using a lot of mustard nowadays -- often, instead of mayonnaise.  And I'm liking it!!  Also, I often use Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar (with "the Mother")

Mary Mulari recommended this vinegar and I AM LOVING IT!!  It has a wonderful intense flavor, and I substitute it for every kind of vinegar...

You can add green olives as well as black olives...fresh basil...hot pepper rings...bell peppers...

A key ingredient:  PERFECTLY cooked hard boiled eggs (no green around the yolk)...

Lilly's been helping to make this salad since she was a toddler