Happy Fourth of July!

In time for your Fourth of July weekend cookouts, my favorite potato salad recipe:

Bavarian Potato Salad

Note: All measurements are approximate. Use more or less of anything, to taste.

3 or 4 lbs. new potatoes, peeled and sliced fairly thinly
2 or 3 eggs, hard-boiled
8-12 slices of bacon
1 or 2 shallots, depending on size, minced finely
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
½ - ¾ cup dry white wine
1 or 2 Tbs. cider vinegar
1 or 2 tsp. sugar-in-the-raw
2 Tbs. chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup, more or less, of mayonnaise
freshly ground pepper, salt to taste if desired

Hard boil the eggs. (Cover in cold water, bring to a boil and turn off heat. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, then rinse in cold running water or an ice bath to cool completely.) Set aside.

While the eggs are cooking, finely mince the shallots; set aside. Chop parsley; set aside.

Fry the bacon over low heat until crisp and the fat is completely rendered. Remove the bacon to paper towels and set aside. Leave the fat in the pan for the dressing.

Start the sliced potatoes in cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Shock in cold water to stop cooking and drain well.

While the potatoes are cooking, make the dressing:

—Add the minced shallots to the hot bacon fat and saute over medium heat for a few minutes until shallots start to get tender.
—Add the Dijon mustard and stir or whisk to incorporate with the fat and shallots.
—Add the white wine and raise heat to medium-high to start reducing the liquid.
—After a minute or so, add the cider vinegar, the sugar and pepper to taste. Whisk to incorporate and simmer for another minute or so. Set aside to cool for 5 or 10 minutes
—In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise and shallot mixture. Mix well and add more freshly cracked pepper, if desired.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes and the dressing, folding carefully to avoid breaking up the potatoes too much. Slice the hard-boiled eggs and crumble the reserved bacon. Add to the potatoes along with the chopped parsley. Mix everything together well. Adjust seasoning as desired. Chill well to meld flavors.  Note: I don't use any added salt because the bacon has plenty of salt. The salad will seem too gloppy while still warm. The extra dressing will be absorbed by the potatoes as they cool. If making a serving platter, garnish with diagonal alternating lines of extra bacon and egg slices. Serve.

BTW, if you'll be having a July 4th picnic, Cook's Illustrated advises that it's not the mayonnaise that causes food poisoning from spoiled potato salad. Mayonnaise contains sufficient acid to inhibit bacterial growth and commercial mayo is made with pasteurized eggs. Rather, it is the potatoes that are the culprits:

"The bacteria usually responsible for spoiled potato salad are Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus (commonly known as staph). Both are found in soil and dust, and they thrive on starchy, low-acid foods like rice, pasta, and potatoes. If they find their way into your potato salad via an unwashed cutting board or contaminated hands, they can wreak havoc on your digestive system."