Friday, April 13, 2018

Real German Potato Salad

Photo: Betty Crocker
I don't know which I prefer: American (made with eggs and mayonnaise), or German potato salad. My mother made mostly German and now that I'm an adult, I make mostly German potato salad too. (Shhh, don't tell her. I am not turning into my mother.)

German potato salad seems more ambitious because of the clean up. It requires frying bacon and so you have a greasy skillet to wash and grease to dispose of. I cheat dealing with the mess by microwaving slices of bacon in between paper towels on a large plate. Then I trash the greasy paper towels and simply wash a not-too-greasy plate. The paper towels absorb 99% of the grease. I also microwave whole unpeeled potatoes instead of boiling and peeling them. Let the microwaved potatoes cool off a bit before you handle them. Here is my recipe:

Ingredients:

4 medium washed, unpeeled potatoes
6 slices (or more!) crispy bacon
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
About 3 tablespoons hot water
3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
12 turns of the black pepper mill = 1/2 teaspoon
1 teaspoon dried garlic 
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
A generous sprinkle of dried parsley

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon of sugar -- We don't add sugar, but if the vinegar is too sour for your tastes, the sugar will balance it.

Directions:

1) Cook your potatoes and bacon -- in a pot and pan, or my way in the microwave. (If you fry the bacon in a skillet, save a couple of tablespoons of the bacon fat to pour over the salad. It's bad, but sooo delicious!)

2) Slice the warm potatoes and toss into a bowl. Add the diced onion.

3) Pour in the vinegar, water, salt, pepper, garlic and celery seeds. Gently toss.

4) Crumble in the crispy bacon and sprinkle the parsley on top. Make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.

5) If needed, return to the microwave for a minute or so to eat it warm. 

If I don't feel like taking out lots of pots and pans, I will eat German Potato salad with a glass of wine as my dinner. Simply toss in a shredded carrot as an extra vegetable. Gute appetit!


You may also enjoy:
Scottish Shortbread
Starbucks-esque Lemon Loaf
Salmon Cakes With Spicy Remoulade Sauce
Ale To The Chief: The White House Beer Recipe

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