Potato Salad - Stuart's version

Okay, it is a simply fare but one that I enjoy in Summer. I tend to alter this every time I make it. That said though, this is the standard recipe. I have been known to make my own mayonnaise but if in a hurry I simply buy a low fat version. These normally taste much blander but as you are adding stuff to it - go for it. After all it means you can add more bacon!!!

Okay so what will you need?

·        1 large onion – finely chopped and seared in a pan with a little olive oil, drain on paper towel to remove as much oil as possible. You can use a small red onion and place it to the salad raw.

·        1kg desiree potatoes ­– peeled and cut into 2cm cubes. I tend to wash them first and keep the peel on for extra fibre.

·        Bacon – sliced into 1 cm strips – use as much as you like. I believe bacon should be a food group on it’s own – so go to town.

·        Shaved ham – I use around 100g – sliced.

·        Boiled Eggs – I hard boil 2  or 3 eggs.

·        1 cup mayonnaise

·        1/2 cup sour cream

·         Juice of ½ lemon

·        Fresh Herbs – MUST HAVE – common mint, Vietnamese mint – a good hand full of each. I also use basil and chives as I have them growing in the garden. Serviously, if you have t buy your hers, and you only wanted one type – go the Vietnamese mint. It changes the whole taste of the salad and people will be asking you for the recipe (Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!)

·        Ground pepper – a few grinds to taste.

Putting it all together:

1.     Using a large saucepan, cover your potatoes with cold water. Make sure you have enough water to cover your potatoes. Bring to the boil.  Once the water boils, turn the heat right down and leave for a couple of minutes. You want your potatoes to be cooked through yet remain firm and in tact. Use a skewer to test f the potato is ready. The potato will slide of the skewer if cooked through. Drain, place in a large bowl.

2.     Hard boil eggs

3.     Pan fry the onion in a little oil. Place in bowl with potatoes.

4.     Fry up the bacon until crispy – drain and place in with the potatoes.

5.     Slice ham and place in with potatoes.

6.     Roughly chop up the eggs into big chunks and place into potato mix.

7.     Blend mayonnaise and sour cream really well. Add juice of ½ lemon. You need to make sure the mayo and the sour cream have been mixed beautifully to avoid the cream curdling. At this point I add some ground pepper too.

8.     Add roughly chopped up fresh herbs.