Cold Potato Salad with Grilled Sweet Slab Bacon
Chefs Todd English and Victor LaPlaca of Olives – New York, NY
Adapted by StarChefs.com

Yield: 10-15 Servings

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds fingerling potatoes
• 1 pint smoked paprika aioli (recipe follows)
• 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
• 2 pounds slab bacon
• About ¼ cup brown sugar
• About ¼ cup honey

Method:
Cook fingerling potatoes in salted boiling water until tender. Drain and allow potatoes to cool.

Split potatoes lengthwise and toss with paprika aioli and scallions. Refrigerate until potato salad is completely chilled.

Slowly render slab bacon in a large roasting pan over medium heat. Halfway through rendering, coat slab with brown sugar and honey, and grill over medium heat to finish. Allow to cool.

Slice bacon against the grain and layer slices on a large platter. Spoon the chilled potato over and serve.

Smoked Paprika Aioli

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
• 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• Smoked paprika to taste

Method:
All ingredients should be at room temperature. Place 1/4 cup of garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 Tablespoons of oil in a blender and blend on high for about 2 minutes. Transfer to a marble mortar. Add about 3/4 cup of the oil, about 1 teaspoon at a time, stirring vigorously with the pestle. The process will take about 15 minutes, and the mixture will become very thick and glossy. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Combine batches of aioli and season to taste with smoked paprika.