Potato salad with bacon, herbs and vinegar

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A potato salad made with bacon, herbs and vinegar — but hold the mayo!

This is potato salad the way I prefer it, without a jar of mayonnaise in sight. Vinegar and mustard stand in, giving the salad a sharper, fresher taste. We'll use those perfect little red potatoes. And don't even think about wasting time removing the skins. They add texture and nutrition.

Thyme, chives, rosemary and parsley bring color and vibrancy to this picnic standard. The bacon vinaigrette is irresistible, especially when dotted with whole mustard seeds and infused with thyme. A pat of butter thickens the vinaigrette into a more silky consistency right before you pour it over the steaming potatoes, ready to soak up all the flavor.

It's best served at room temperature or straight from the fridge. Speaking of the fridge, you'll find me going back for a few more bites of potato salad every time we have this salad at home.

Potato salad is one of those dishes expected at a potluck or picnic, and I like this particular recipe for its heavy use of herbs and the somewhat unexpected bacon. Prepare the salad ahead and the flavors will just get better as they meld in the fridge. If you go that route, I suggest reserving almost all of the chives and parsley and stirring them in just before serving. The herbs will stay bright green and keep the salad looking fresh.

Vinegar-based potato salads often are made with the potatoes cut into thin slices along with the red onions in a similar shape. That's always good, but I like the bite-size pieces of potato here. The dish seems more substantial.

Make sure to have all your herbs, onion and bacon chopped before you start cooking. Once everything is chopped, it's a straightforward assembly. Just be prepared to bring this to every barbecue for the rest of the summer.

* POTATO SALAD WITH HERBS AND BACON VINAIGRETTE

2 pounds small red potatoes, halved or cut into bite-size pieces

Salt

6 strips bacon, diced into 1/2-inch pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

1/2 red onion, diced

3/4 cup champagne vinegar or a scant 1/2 cup apple-cider vinegar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with water until the potatoes are about 2 inches under water, and season generously with salt. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the bacon in a skillet and bring the burner to medium-low heat to render the bacon slowly. Add the olive oil and thyme. Sauté the bacon and thyme until it begins to crisp up, about 7 minutes. As the bacon renders some fat, add the red onion and cook until it softens, about 4 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, butter and mustard.

Drain the potatoes when done, immediately putting them in a large bowl and pouring the bacon vinaigrette over the hot potatoes. Stir in the chives, rosemary and parsley, and toss to evenly coat the potatoes.

Serve at room temperature, warm or straight from the fridge.

Serves: 6.