Potato Salad With Blue Cheese, Bacon and Red Onions

Dressing:
1 T. cider vinegar
2 1/4 t. lemon juice
1 1/2 t. Dijon mustard with seeds
1 medium clove garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 C. oil
1/4 C. best quality prepared mayonnaise
2 T. sour cream

Potato salad:
3 lb. red skin potatoes (about 2 inches in diameter)
8 oz. lean bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 C. chopped red onion
6 oz. piece Saga Blue cheese, rind removed and cheese crumbled
1/4 C. chopped flat leaf parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For dressing, place vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, 1/4 t. salt and several grinds of black pepper in nonreactive bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in oil. Then whisk in mayonnaise and sour cream. Taste and season with more salt if desired. Set aside.

Bring large pot of water to boil. Scrub potatoes but do not peel. Add to boiling water and salt water generously. Cook until potatoes are tender but still firm and not mushy, about 25 minutes. Watch carefully as time will depend on size of potatoes. Remove and cool 10 minutes.

Saute bacon in large, heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Pour off and discard all but 1 T. of drippings in pan. Place pan over medium heat and add red onions. Stir a minute or less to coat with drippings; do not cook the onions, just season them with a little of the bacon drippings. Remove onions to large, nonreactive salad bowl.

While potatoes are still warm, slip off skins and cut into 3/4 inch cubes. (If potatoes are too hot to handle, hold them in a kitchen towel while you remove skins.) Add to bowl with onions along with cooked bacon and blue cheese. Toss to mix; the warm potatoes will cause the cheese to melt slightly. Pour in the dressing and mix well. Taste and season generously with salt and pepper as needed. Let the salad stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to meld the flavors. (Salad can be made a day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring salad to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.)

When ready to serve, sprinkle salad with parsley and mix well. Place in an attractive serving bowl.

Serves 8.