Potato Salad

1. Place the unpeeled potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold salted water, bring to a boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until a knife slides in easily, then drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.
2. While the potatoes cook, fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, then transfer to paper towels, leaving about 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the pan.
3. Add the chopped onion to the bacon fat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened, then stir in the flour, sugar and celery seed and cook for 1 minute to form a paste.
4. Whisk in the vinegar and water, bring to a gentle boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the dressing thickens slightly, then whisk in the mustard and remove from the heat.
5. Peel the cooled potatoes if you prefer and cut them into bite-sized chunks, then place in a large bowl and pour the warm dressing over them while still warm so they absorb the flavor.
6. Crumble in the cooked bacon and gently fold in the quartered hard-boiled eggs, taking care not to break them up too much.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste, scatter the chopped chives over the top and serve warm, or chill for at least 1 hour and serve cold.

You'll use: Frying pan / skillet · Pan · Large pot · Saucepan · Whisk