German Potato Salad

It's Tuesday!  Today begins the first of three posts discussing a quick + easy German style meal that you can make right at home.  So, stick around for the end of the week and we'll end up with a super quick and easy and healthy and yummy meal. 

I'm a big fan of German food, mainly because I think that sauerkraut is one of the most baller things ever, right up there with ANYTHING ELSE PICKLED EVER.  Lots of the elements in the meal that we're making have some kind of acid, including apple cider vinegar in these yummy potatoes.  What I love about German potato salad is that you can serve it hot or cold, and there's no mayo so you can let it sit out all the live long day without being concerned about deadly food borne illnesses.  

To be fair, I never concern myself with food borne illnesses, but that's another story.  So, these potatoes.  Serve them warm or cold or room temp, make them well in advance or right before you eat, CAN'T GO WRONG.  It's bacon and potatoes and vinegar, so you just really can't find fault with the flavors whatsoever.  You need potatoes, obviously.  Use any kind that you like, but I love these little yellow cuties.  Don't peel them!  Potato skin is good for you and helps everything stay together.  You also need onion, GREEN onions, bacon, sugar, chicken stock, and apple cider vinegar.  Or another kind of vinegar if you can't be bothered to buy apple cider.  No worries!  

First, let's get the potatoes started, then we'll make the sauce.   Cut the potatoes in half, and place them in a pot with lots of salt and cold water.  Cover the pot, bring the water to a boil, and boil the potatoes for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender but not mushy.  

Drain the potatoes and set them aside.  

While the potatoes are working, let's make the sauce for the salad.  Cut the bacon into thin strips.  

Then, add the bacon to a large skillet over medium-high heat.  

Let the bacon crisp and render all the fat, which makes the potatoes taste GOOD.  

Chop the onion.   

Add the onion to the bacon, and let it cook for about 4 minutes to soften and start to taste like bacon. 

While the onion is cooking, thinly slice the scallions.  

Now, the onions and bacon are cooked together!

Splash in the vinegar, stock, and sugar.  Stir the skillet together to form a sauce.  When the mixture bubbles and the sugar dissolves, turn the heat off.  

Now, the cooked potatoes!  Throw them right into the skillet, or if you made the sauce in a smaller skillet transfer everything to a big bowl.  

Stir the potatoes together while they're still warm so that they absorb all the epic sauce you made.  Taste, and add as much salt as you'd like, or even another splash of the vinegar if you'd like a tangier salad.  

Last, toss the scallions into the potatoes and give everything one more stir.  Potato salad!

I can't even tell you about these flavors, you've just got to trust me.  Vinegar and scallions and bacon are a THING, and the onions are soft and kind of caramelly and sweet from the sugar.  Just, YES.  Add this to your summer cooking arsenal, and go. to. town.  

And, stand by for the rest of the meal!  This is only the beginning.