Bacon and Egg Japanese Potato Salad

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1-inch chunks
• 4 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• Kosher salt and ground white pepper
• 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1½ teaspoons dry mustard
• ½ teaspoon white sugar
• 1 Persian cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half-moons
• ¼ medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 ounces thick-cut bacon, sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick
• 2 large soft-cooked eggs (see headnote)
• ½ cup Kewpie mayonnaise (see headnote)
• Shichimi togarashi or toasted sesame seeds, to serve (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook potatoes and garlic until tender, drain and dry over low heat. Stir in vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and white pepper; cool. Salt cucumber and onion. Cook bacon until browned. Add chopped eggs, squeezed cucumber-onion mixture, Kewpie mayonnaise and bacon to potatoes. Season and garnish optionally with shichimi togarashi or toasted sesame seeds.