I first came across this salad over a year ago on my friend Stacey's awesome blog, Stacey Snacks. I filed it away in Evernote where it has sadly resided unused ever since. I first reached for it a couple weeks ago when we gathered friends together for a BBQ to celebrate Jordan's graduation and it was such a hit that I made it again just the other day when my folks were in town as a side to one of my favorite steak dishes.
As we all know, bacon makes everything better and pairing the crispy pig pieces with caramelized roasted potatoes, briny capers, and fresh red onion and cilantro make for a super tasty and slightly unconventional potato salad. Don't worry, the whole shebang is still tossed in a silky mayo based dressing, so it won't feel totally alien to all of you lovers of more conventional spud salads, but tossing the potatoes with the dressing when they are still slightly warm helps the final salad to feel more balanced and less overwhelmed by mayonnaise.
Give this one a try the next time you fire up the grill, you're gonna LOVE it!
Cheers – Steve
Ingredients
- 4 pounds new or fingerling potatoes, cleaned and halved or quartered (depending on size)
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 pound thick cut bacon
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup capers
- 1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400℉. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a non-stick rimmed baking sheet. Roast the potatoes, until golden brown and tender, stirring twice, and adding the garlic about 10 minutes before they are finished. Remove and let cool some.
- While the potatoes are roasting, cut the bacon into lardons and cook over medium heat until it has largely rendered its fat and the pieces are crisp. remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and let drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar. Add the potatoes (still slightly warm), sliced onion, bacon, and capers and gently stir to coat all the ingredients. Taste for seasoning and adjust by adding more salt or pepper, vinegar, or mustard. Stir in the chopped cilantro and serve at room temperature or chill for later use.