new potato salad

Everyone is probably getting tired of potato salad this late in the summer, but this isn’t really what I would consider traditional potato salad. Sure, it contains potatoes, and it’s served at room temperature, and it has a dressing on it, but that’s where the similarity ends. This recipe was inspired by my friend, Karin Reynolds, who knows how to make everything taste good.  I suspect this was an old family recipe, and I’ve modified it here and there to make it seem ‘new’.  Try it,  it really is very tasty and not boring at all, and it’s a delicious way to use those great new potatoes that the farmer’s markets are full of right now. It’s convenient to take to a summer potluck or buffet, since it’s vinaigrette dressing makes it fairly ‘food safe’– by that I mean it doesn’t contain mayonnaise which goes bad very quickly at room temperature.

New-Fashioned Potato Salad

serves 6-8

5-6 medium potatoes, cooked, cooled, peeled and diced (can cook a day ahead, then peel/dice when cooled)

1 large onion, finely diced

1/2 lb. (500 g) bacon, cut into 1/2  inch (1 cm) pieces

1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp salt, or more to taste

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp parmesan cheese

Directions:

As stated in the ingredients, cook your potatoes, then dice them up when cooled. (I usually cook them with their skin on, then peel it off when they have cooled). Set aside.

In large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Reserve all the bacon fat in pan, and add diced onions to the bacon fat, cooking over medium to medium-low heat, stirring frequently until onions are well browned (carmelized), about 15 minutes.  Add sugar, balsamic vinegar (or other vinegar, what you have on hand), olive oil, dijon, salt and pepper to pan. Turn off heat. Whisk all ingredients together to make a warm vinaigrette.

Add vinaigrette and 2/3 of the bacon bits to the potatoes and toss until potatoes are well coated. Sprinkle remaining bacon bits and parmesan cheese on top.  Let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes for flavours to incorporate. Refrigerate if you aren’t eating it  right away, but allow to warm up to room temperature before eating, or warm it up if you prefer. Bon apetit. 🙂

cook potatoes, dice and cook bacon

cook onion in bacon fat

combine potatoes, bacon and onions

make dressing in pan

combine everything, sprinkle parm on top