There’s just something about potato salad.

Guys! I’m back! I was in the New York & Boston area for a week or so cooking and taking pictures like a madman. Amazing trip, but happy to be back cooking/photographing at home. Images and stories from our trip coming soon on this here blog.

Any potluck, any church Sunday lunch, any family reunion – there’s potato salad. It’s like that staple, expected, slightly unexciting dish that you know will be on hanging out on the picnic table. And it’s typically is eaten & enjoyed, but really not given much thought. It’s a side dish for ribs, steak, or roast chicken. But I feel it’s time that the mighty potato salad have it’s moment in the sun.

I love the idea of vegetable main courses. Something that holds up against most (or any) protein, or is the perfect Robin to a Ribeye or Sirloin Batman. The best sidekick dish ever.

I love roasted new potatoes. Here, they add a wicked depth of flavour and the added gochugang packs just enough punch.

A couple notes. Please, use mayo (either homemade or store-bought), but leave the salad style miracle-y stuff out. If you can’t find gochujang at your local grocery store or Asian market, sriracha will work great.

Give this dude a go.

Duck Fat Roasted Gochujang Potato Salad

5lbs new potatoes
2 tablespoons duck fat
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 eggs
10 strips of bacon
1/2 cup green onions
1 cup mayo
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon gochujang
1 cup fresh peas
1 cup mixed greens

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Wash and scrub any dirt of your potatoes (do not peel them). Place your potatoes in a large pot of cold salted water and bring to a boil. Boil under just fork tender (about 10 minutes). Drain.

Spoon your duck fat into one large (or 2 medium sized) high-walled baking tray, and place it in the oven to melt. When melted, remove the pan and carefully toss your potatoes in the duck fat, getting them nicely coated. Season with a pinch 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, and roast for 1 hour, turning halfway through.

While the potatoes are roasting, mix your mayo and gochujang together in a bowl and place in the fridge. Bring a medium sized saucepan to a boil, and carefully drop your eggs in. Cook for 7 1/2 minutes. When you have 1 minute left with your eggs, drop your peas in the water to cook. Drain, and place into a bowl of ice water. When cooled, peel your eggs and set aside.

Working in batches, fry your bacon. Drain any excess grease on paper towel, and set aside.

When the potatoes are done, transfer them to a large bowl, immediately pour over your gochugang mayo, and stir together. Slice your peeled eggs in half and add to the mix, along with the peas. Crumble over your bacon, add your green onions, and stir together.

Top with mixed greens and serve.

Great served hot, warm, or cool. Eat delicious.