German Potato Salad

My high school boyfriend's grandfather was an Air Force pilot during World War II. He met a nurse while being treated for  his wounds in a German hospital and determined he wasn't leaving without her. When I met them they had been married almost 65 years. Beautiful stuff.

Whenever we visited she would make us Wiener Schnitzel, that classic German dish with thin veal cutlets, breaded and fried, served with lemon on top and homemade spatzle and warm potato salad on the side. I often hear this referred to as German potato salad, but perhaps in Germany it's just potato salad? Regardless, I can't help but think of her every time I make it, how perhaps it reminded her of home in those months and years after she moved to America to marry the Air Force pilot.

Now I make it whenever I have a hankering for something warm and comforting. This should do the trick all year long, it's equally at home beside grilled brats in the summer as it is beside braised cabbage and pork loin in the winter. This is good stuff, folks.

German Potato Salad
Adapted from my favorite cookbook.

•  4 medium potatoes 
• I used 2 Yukon Gold and 2 red potatoes because I just love the buttery flavor of Yukons. You want a waxy potato for this recipe, not a Russet potato or other starchy potato.
• 4 slices bacon
• Optional: 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup white vinegar 
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard (or brown mustard if you don't have that, just not ballpark yellow mustard)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Place the potatoes, 1 tablespoon salt, and water to cover in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are just tender, about 14 minutes if you're using smallish potatoes and leave them whole like I did. I think potatoes just taste more potato-y if you cook them whole in their skins and chop them up after cooking. When the potatoes are done cooking, scoop out a ladleful of the cooking water, about 1/2 cup, and set aside. Drain the rest of the water off then return the potatoes to the pot and cover to keep warm. 

Water will boil much faster if you cover the pot.

2. While the water comes to a boil, fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, not stirring too much to let it brown and crisp, about 5 minutes.

3. Remove from the skillet, chop chop chop. and set aside (which to me means leave on your cutting board until you need it.)

4. If you have a bunch of fat in the skillet, pour the excess off and leave about 2 tablespoons in the skillet.

5. Optional: you could add 1 medium onion, chopped fine at this point and that would be delicious. Cook until getting soft, 4-5 minutes over medium heat. Hubby and I are trying a new diet to curb some tummy troubles and avoiding onion at the moment. But you should add it if you like! Onion is delicious. 

7. Stir in the sugar until dissolved, add the vinegar and reserved potato cooking water. Bring to a simmer and simmer for about 3 minutes, until it reduces down a bit.  Turn off the heat and whisk in the mustard and pepper.

8. While the dressing simmers, chop the potatoes up into 1/2 inch pieces. I cut mine lengthwise then lay them on the flat sides and cut them into chunks.

9. Add the potatoes and the bacon to the skillet and stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. The potatoes might seem a little soupy at first but will thicken right up as they sit.

Enjoy!