Hot new potato and dandelion salad with bacon and shallots

Ingredients

550g/1¼lb waxy new potatoes, such as Pink Fir Apple or Anya, scrubbed clean
25g/1oz small, young dandelion leaves (or watercress sprigs)
3 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 rashers of rindless, dry-cured smoked streaky bacon, cut into short, fat strips (lardons)
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped chives
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil, salted at the rate of 1 tsp per 600 ml/1 pint, add the potatoes and simmer until just tender.
2. Meanwhile, wash the dandelion leaves, dry them well and put them into a large salad bowl.
3. Whisk the olive oil, 1 tbsp of the vinegar and some salt and freshly ground black pepper, then set aside.
4. About 5 minutes before the potatoes are cooked, heat a dry, heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat, add the bacon and fry gently until it has rendered its fat and is very crisp.
5. Drain the potatoes, slice them into a second salad bowl and stir in the dressing, chopped shallots and chives.
6. Tip the crisped bacon and all the fat from the pan over the dandelions.
7. Add the rest of the vinegar to the frying pan in which the bacon was cooked and leave it to bubble vigorously until reduced to 1 tbsp.
8. Pour it over the dandelions, toss together well, then add everything to the warm potato salad. Mix gently and serve.