Potato salad is one of those "particular" dishes, as in, people tend to be very particular about how theirs is made: sweet relish vs. chopped dill pickle; lots of mustard vs. none at all; white onion vs. green onions. In this Saving Southern Food installment, we look at one potato salad recipe with a "secret" ingredient. And it isn't paprika.

The contributor: Sue Lynch of Fayetteville. This recipe comes from Lynch's 90-year-old mother, Frances Huber of Rustburg, Va.

Jessica McGowan/AJC (ENLARGE)

Frances Huber's Potato Salad.

Family photo (ENLARGE)

Frances Huber still makes potato salad and other dishes.

Archive of restoration recipes Anne Quatrano Co-chef/owner of Bacchanalia, Quinones, Star Provisions and Floataway Cafe in Atlanta  Even ketchup was made from scratch  These deviled eggs were made with loving care  Green Congealed Salad is perfect comfort dessert for summer  This spice cake takes extra time, but it's worth it  'Extra special' folks got to eat asparagus casserole  This strawberry cake is well worth the fuss  Sad Cake will put a smile on your face  Mother has real talent for handling hot potatoes  In big family, 'you always had a dessert'

The story: "Rustburg is a small town where everybody knows everybody. And when I was growing up there in the 1950s, everybody knew my mother made the best potato salad. She still does.

But back then, my parents were involved in every service organization there was and whenever there was a function, she got picked to bring the potato salad. Funeral gatherings, church potlucks, Lions Club meetings and, of course, Sunday dinners, she always brought the bowl home empty. It's because of what she called a 'secret' ingredient: butter. She never claimed it was her secret ingredient, because an older friend shared it with her right after my mother got married. And my mother mentioned the recipe to a friend once, who tried to make it but it just wasn't as good.

"Mother would boil the potatoes whole in their jackets, then peel them while they were still hot. I still remember her standing in that kitchen peeling them with her bare hands, tossing them back and forth trying not to burn her fingers. Then she'd cut them up into cubes. While they were still hot, she'd cut up a half stick of butter and let it melt over the potatoes. That was the 'secret.'

"But there were a couple of other steps that I would say are key. Mother always did very fine mincing of everything; the onions, celery, pimento, pickles. I think that all that fine chopping was actually like meditating to her. She would really take her time when she did it.

"She'd combine everything with Hellmann's mayonnaise and put it into a yellow flowered pottery bowl. I still have a platter that goes to the set. The last key, though, was to let the salad sit out a little while after she'd made it, before putting it in the refrigerator, to let the flavors meld. That's usually when we'd eat the first bites.

"A few months ago while I was visiting, I decided to try to make her salad for a family reunion. She came in the kitchen to provide a little friendly company. Of course, that turned to a little 'friendly advice,' which, turned into a 'friendly takeover.' We still laugh about the fact that only she knows how to make this salad 'perfect.' "

Frances Huber's Potato Salad
12 servings

Hands on: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Butter and pimento make this potato salad special. Although Huber seems to have been tough enough to peel and chop potatoes that were hot enough to melt the butter, you can save yourself some pain by letting the potatoes cool to lukewarm before handling them — and then melting the butter before adding to the potatoes.

8 russet potatoes
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped
1 sweet pickle, finely chopped (or 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish)
1/4 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
1 to 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimentos, drained
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard (optional)
Salt to taste
Paprika to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil; add the potatoes, unpeeled, and cook until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and cut them into small cubes. Transfer to a large bowl or plastic storage container. Add the butter and stir to combine. Let cool to room temperature.

When cooled, add the hard-cooked eggs, pickle or relish, onion, celery to taste and pimentos. Stir in mayonnaise, vinegar and mustard, if desired. Season to taste with salt (no pepper). Sprinkle the top with paprika. Chill until serving time.

Per serving: 242 calories (percent of calories from fat, 73), 3 grams protein, 14 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 21 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 70 milligrams cholesterol, 211 milligrams sodium.