Gumbo Potato Salad

   (adapted from Deep South Dish)
Servings: 6 to 8

So, it was Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, and I made zydeco gumbo, filled with chicken, sausage, and shrimp!  But, of course!   After researching traditional gumbo recipes, I discovered that most are served with potato salad.  Yep, it sounds strange, but it really works with gumbo!  Creole or gumbo potato salad is a bit different than traditional potato salad in that it is more of a "mashed" consistency.  To finish off the supper, I made a fried okra salad, steamed white rice, and crusty French bread.  My tablescape was in the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold.  And here I am with my Mardi Gras tiera holding Zoey!

INGREDIENTS:

2 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes

½ cup minced onion

1 large stalk celery, chopped

½ tablespoon dried parsley

2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

¾ cup to 1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Creole style mustard (I used Zatarain’s)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper to taste (about 10 turns of the grinder)

Paprika to garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Peel and dice the potatoes (or you can leave the peel on as I did).  Add to large pot and boil until tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain and set aside to cool.  Place into serving bowl and use a masher to partially mash them, leaving some chunks.

Add the onion, celery, and parsley to the potatoes.

In a separate small bowl, mix together the ¾ cup mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper, and spoon over the potatoes

Toss together until the potatoes are coated, adding additional mayonnaise to reach desired consistency.

Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

Sprinkle lightly with paprika, if desired.

To serve with gumbo, spoon gumbo into individual serving bowls, with or without rice and use a cookie scoop to place a scoop of the potato salad right into the bowl.  Can also b e served on the side.

Refrigerate leftovers.