Matty says: “This recipe is me working through awakened childhood trauma because I remember when my mom made lame potato salad as a kid. I can still smell it. This is a hero dish and will blow the socks off anyone who eats it. Congratulations to everyone in therapy like I am conquering the traumas of their past.”

Serves 6

Prep time: 1 hour

Ingredients

2lbs fingerling potatoes
¼ cup unsalted butter
½ cup bacon lardons
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsps whole-grain Dijon mustard
½ cup small-diced red onion
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
2 tbsps chopped parsley
2 tbsps chopped chives
1 tbsp chopped dill
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
¼ cup pickled red onion
Olive oil, for drizzling
Maldon salt

Creamy dip:

¼ cup cream cheese
2 tbsps whole-grain Dijon mustard, plus 1 tsp for garnish

Method

Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let them cool slightly.

While the potatoes are simmering, let’s mix our creamy dip. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of the mustard. Set aside. Place the cooled potatoes on a cutting board and, using the back of a clean pot, gently press them. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the smashed potatoes and cook until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes a side.

Line a plate with paper towels. Transfer the seared potatoes along with any remaining butter in the pan to a large bowl.

Let’s cook our bacon off in a cast-iron skillet set over low heat, until it’s cooked to your desired crispiness. Set aside a paper towel-lined plate.

To the same bowl, add the vinegar, mustard, bacon, red onion, scallions, parsley, chives, dill and kosher salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss everything together until the potatoes are well coated with the dressing; allow any of the larger potatoes to break naturally into smaller pieces.

Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper. Then add a huge dollop of the creamy dip and make a small indent at the top with the back of your spoon to add the remaining teaspoon of mustard and pickled red onion. Drizzle with olive oil and finish with Maldon salt.

Soups, Salads, Sandwiches: 3 delicious recipes to help level-up your cold weather lunch repertoire