German potato salad – potatoes with a zing
German potato salad is widely believed to actually have originated in Germany, although it could have started in many countries it almost certainly began in Europe. It differs from American potato salad in that it is served warm and doesn’t contain mayonnaise or mustard. American potato salad is served cold and most likely originated from recipes brought to the U.S. by way of German and other European immigrants during the nineteenth century
A Japanese version is called potesara. It traditionally consists of mashed boiled potatoes, cucumber, onion, carrot, boiled eggs, and ham mixed with Kewpie mayonnaise, rice vinegar, and karashi mustard.
This potato salad is a classic and a nice alternative to plain boiled potatoes. If you cook the potatoes ahead of time you can finish the dish in a flash. The zing of the vinegar combined with the sweetness of the sugar merge together in a delightful way.
Serves 4
- 3 cups diced peeled potatoes
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 mall onion, diced
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 2 Tbl water
- 3 Tbl brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt (depending on the saltiness of the bacon)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbl fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup roasted red capsicum (pimento) (optional)
German potato salad
Preparation
Boil the potatoes 5-10 mins until just tender. Drain and put under cold water until potatoes are cool.
Cook the bacon in a pan until crisp. Remove and set aside. Keep the bacon grease.
Bringing it together
Cook the onion in the same pan until soft.
Add the vinegar, water, sugar and salt (and optional red capsicum) to the pan and bring to a soft boil. Cook a couple of minutes. Then add the potatoes, toss and cook gently until potatoes are warm.
Top with chopped parley and serve. It’s our favorite side for sausages.
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