FEEDS 8 TO 10
Potato salad is often dry and bland, but not this one. The secret to it—besides the flavorful vinaigrette—is the addition of bacon and hard-cooked eggs. I already have deviled eggs on this menu, but I just had to put eggs in the potato salad, too. Even a small amount of egg makes a potato salad so much better.
3 pounds medium WHITE ROSE or other thin-skinned POTATOES, scrubbed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 pound thick-cut APPLE- or HICKORY-SMOKED BACON, cut into 1-inch-wide pieces
1/4 cup CHICKEN STOCK or store-bought chicken stock
1/2 cup MAYONNAISE or store-bought mayonnaise
1/4 cup WHITE WINE VINEGAR
2 tablespoons DÜSSELDORF or other spicy German-style mustard
2 tablespoons CAPERS, rinsed, drained, and finely chopped
2 teapoons KOSHER SALT
1 teapoon freshly ground BLACK PEPPER
1 large GARLIC CLOVE, minced or grated
Pinch of RED PEPPER FLAKES
2 tablespoons OLIVE OIL
11/2 cups 1/4-inch-thick slices LEEKS (2 leeks, white and light green parts only, washed and drained well)
6 PERFECT HARD-COOKED EGGS peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup finely chopped RED ONION
1/4 cup chopped fresh FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY LEAVES
1/4 cup chopped fresh DILL
2 tablespoons minced fresh CHIVES
Steam the potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are easily pierced with the tip of a knife.
While the potatoes are steaming, cook the bacon in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy but not burned, 12 to 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the fat in the skillet.
When the potatoes are almost done, make the vinaigrette. Warm the chicken stock in a saucepan. Turn off the heat and whisk in the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, capers, salt, pepper, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. While the vinaigrette and the potatoes are still warm, pour the vinaigrette over the potatoes and toss gently to coat. Cover loosely to keep warm.
Add the olive oil to the bacon fat and let it warm over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add the leeks and sauté until tender and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape the leeks and any fat left in the pan into the potatoes. Add the eggs, onion, parsley, dill, chives, and half of the bacon and toss gently to distribute the ingredients evenly. Transfer the salad to a large serving bowl and scatter the remaining bacon over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
One summer at the lake house, my uncle Paul, my mom’s brother-in-law, brought home, wrapped in butcher’s paper, Nueske’s apple wood–smoked bacon, which he insisted was the best in the world. He fried some up. I ate it. And, well . . . my uncle was right.
It was cut thick and had a chewy, meaty texture and an intense smoky flavor. These days, several companies besides Nueske’s make and sell bacon of this quality, including Benton’s and North Country (see Sources). Look for apple wood– or hickory-smoked bacon that is thick cut for the best flavor.