German Potato Salad

Peggy Lampman | Contributor

Here's a favorite potato salad for days when there's a nip in the air, as it's best served slightly warm or at room temperature. It's always been my October potato salad served with grilled brats, but is there some rule saying I can't enjoy this duo on an overcast, blustery day in spring?

The most important thing to remember when making the salad is not overcooking the potato slices; carefully monitor them, then drain when they are tender but still a bit firm; to the tooth, as one would cook pasta. Then, while they are still warm, toss them in the vinaigrette to soak in the goodness. The final secrets are sautéing the onion in bacon fat and adding pickle juice to taste.

Finally, bring the salad to room temperature or gently reheat before serving. A salad full of secrets, no doubt.

Yield: 6-8 servings
Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

2 pounds red-skinned potatoes, cut into 3/8-inch slices
6-8 slices bacon
3 tablespoons chicken stock
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
Pickle juice as desired, optional

Instructions

1. Cover potatoes with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until fork-tender, 4-6 minutes. Take care not to overcook the potatoes. Drain and keep warm.
2. Fry bacon until golden brown; drain and coarsely chop. Reserve.
3. Whisk together stock, oil, mustard, vinegar and sugar. Combine parsley, onion, bacon and warm potatoes with vinaigrette. Add pickle juice to taste, if desired. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature for flavors to combine. Serve at room temperature or lightly reheated.