Recipe by Mario Batali

Even Mario Batali would be envious of our potatoes.  This is a great potato salad- wonderful picnic fare or a great side dish to a summer dinner.

3 pounds small potatoes, cut in half
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled into small pieces
4-ounce jar of roasted red peppers, drained and coarsely chopped (alternatively you could roast some of our sweet peppers)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or 2 teaspoons of dried basil)
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

In a large saucepan, cover potatoes with cold water by an inch or two. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are just cooked through, about 16 minutes. They’ll continue cooking a bit after you remove them from the pot. Drain well in a colander and let cool, gently turning the potatoes with a rubber spatula to allow the bottom ones to cool as well. To a large bowl add the onion, celery, bacon, red peppers, parsley, basil, caraway seeds and salt and pepper to taste and your cooked potatoes.

In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard and the salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the potato mixture and gently toss. Serve immediately or keep cold in the refrigerator, covered, for up to one day.