Joan Crawford's Standout Potato Salad Relied On 2 Colorful Ingredients

Joan Crawford may have been most easily recognizable for her roles in Hollywood, but that doesn't mean she didn't have her fair share of food-related opinions that were as noteworthy as her Oscar-winning performances. Not only did Crawford have a soft spot for Ugli fruit and topped her pork chops with apple rings instead of applesauce, but she also had her fair share of secret ingredients she used in her potato salad recipe. 

Her treasured recipe contained some of the ingredients we normally think of with potato salad, including potatoes, mayonnaise, and mustard, but her salad got a bold twist with the help of two unique picks: pimento peppers and dill pickles. It also got a delectably tangy brightness from the help of lemon juice. Interestingly enough, her original recipe even suggested using store-bought potato salad and upgrading it with these flavorful additions. She would make up her own dressing, courtesy of mustard, mayo, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and dry hot mustard, before folding in hard-boiled eggs, green peppers, chopped dill pickles, and the colorful pimentos. The dill pickles add acidity and brightness, while the pimentos offer a complementary, subtle sweetness that balances out the heat and richness of the other potato salad components.

This funky twist on classic potato salad is bold, though don't think for a moment that just because it contains such punchy ingredients that it can't be eaten with all of the classic foods you'd normally pair with potato salad. Bring this vintage rendition to your next picnic, served alongside your favorite classic hot dog recipe or burgers straight off the grill. It would also make an excellent colorful statement piece on your table alongside an Easter ham, like this ham with bourbon and brown sugar glaze. 

Besides the inclusion of particularly bold ingredients, we also love that this recipe is easily adaptable. You can add less hot mustard if you prefer something more mild, or even up the ante by using a garlicky dill pickle in your recipe instead of plain dills. Joan Crawford also suggests adding chopped onions or celery to the salad. Regardless of how you prepare it, it's a much more flavorful side dish than potato salad usually is.