Canadian Bacon And Potato Salad

2-1/2 to 3 lbs baby potatoes, preferably red-skinned
1/2 cup frozen peas
6 slices peameal bacon
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp pure maple syrup (optional)
3/4 cup ranch dressing (not light) or creamy Caesar dressing
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp pickle relish (optional)

Wash but do not peel potatoes. Slice in half, unless they’re very small. Place in a large saucepan. Cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, partially cover and simmer until fork-tender, from 10 to 12 minutes. Add peas during last minute. Meanwhile, slice bacon into bite-size pieces. It should measure about 1-1/2 cups . Heat oil in a large frying pan set over medium heat. Add bacon. Stir-fry until dull pink, about 3 minutes. Add maple syrup, if using, stirring often, about 1 minute. Place bacon and any pan juices in a large bowl. Drain potatoes and peas and add. Pour dressing overtop. Stir in onions, salt, pepper and relish, if using. Serve warm or refrigerate. Salad will keep well, covered and refrigerated, up to 2 days. 8 Servings

Note: Peameal Bacon is similar to Canadian Bacon. It is cured but not smoked. Peameal Bacon is made from pork loins weighing 12-14 Lb. They are trimmed of all the fat and the bones are removed. The term peameal comes from the ground yellow peas with which the bacon was originally coated. This ensured better curing and shelf life and avoided bacterial problems. Over the years this tradition was changed to cornmeal, due to the availability of corn.