Baked Potato Salad

I created this from leftovers one day and it became an instant hit.  Really great for potlucks or office parties.  The idea is a fully loaded baked potato - in a salad.  And using sour cream instead of mayonaise gives it a fresh taste.  If you can invest in some really good smoked sea salt, I would recommend it - not just for this dish, but in general.  You will find yourself addicted to the flavor!

I would plan to use 1 potato per person, or if you are going to make this for a potluck, doubling the recipe yields a large Tupperware container size.


Recipe:

6 Large Idaho Potatoes
1 pound bacon (I like applewood smoked bacon)
1 small red onion, small dice
6 hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup, or 1 package fresh chives, cut in 1 inch pieces
16 oz sour cream
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
Splash of red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
Vegetable Spray (or Olive Oil Spray)
Aluminum Foil


To bake the potatoes:

Scrub the potatoes under water and pat dry on paper towels. Using a fork, poke holes liberally around the skin of the potato. Rub with olive oil and liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place each potato on a vegetable or olive oil sprayed 9 inch square of aluminum foil, shiny side up. Tightly wrap each potato and place in a 500 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to cook for about 1 hour until fork tender. Cool. This step can be done the day before you serve.


To prep the bacon:



Cut bacon across in 1/4 inch strips. In a large frying pan, cook the bacon until done. With a slotted spoon, remove from the fat and set aside.

Boil, cool and peel the eggs. Slice across into fourths.

Dice the red onion and place in a strainer and rinse under cool water. Place the strainer on some paper towels to drain. This will take any bitterness out of the onions.

Slice the potatoes in one inch cubes. Combine all the ingredients and adjust for salt and pepper.