If you are looking for more traditional recipes, heavy with mayonnaise, you may have noticed I don’t make them. I’ve never enjoyed anything loaded with thick mayo, especially salads that don’t have a lot of ingredients in them. I prefer a more vinegar-based dressing that makes a brighter flavor, like this salad. This recipe is a hybrid between the Italian potato salad my mother makes with chickpeas and a vinaigrette, with the sweeter German potato salad my mother-in-law makes.

Tips:

• Unlike a pasta salad, potato salad will get better as it sits in the refrigerator. The potatoes will continue to absorb the dressing. If they seem dry, just toss some olive oil onto it.

• Try adding a can of chickpeas to the dish. It add protein and is delicious.

• If the taste of raw onions are too pungent, try placing the diced onion in a sieve and pour boiling water on them. It will take some of the raw, spicy taste away.

• A vegetarian option would be great without the bacon.

• Or gild the lily and use the bacon fat in the vinaigrette to make a smoky dressing.

Italian Potato Salad

Serves 6

PREP 10 minutes

COOK 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

3 pounds new potatoes

1/4 lb. haricot verts green beans, or other green bean you like, trimmed

1/2 pound bacon, cooked and diced

1 large red onion, diced

Vinaigrette

3/4 cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon maple syrup or any sweetener you prefer

1/4 cup canola oil or olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

8 green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Cook, over medium-high heat, until tender. In the last few minutes of cooking, toss in the haricot verts to get the rawness out. Drain and cut the potatoes into cubes when cool enough to handle. Place the potatoes and haricot verts in a large bowl and cover to keep warm.

2. Add the red onion and bacon to the bowl.

3. Make the dressing by combining the mustard, vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper and olive oil in a mason jar. Shake until the dressing has emulsified and is uniform.

4. Add dressing to warm potato salad and gently toss so you don’t break up the potatoes too much.

5. Fold in the green onions and parsley. Season again with salt and pepper, to taste.