BAVARIAN POTATO SALAD

Bavarian potato magic... This Potato salad brings back so many fond memories of Munich: of Beer gardens, Oktoberfest, Pretzels, O'batzda, Schweinsbraten, Leberkäs', just to name a few... none of those to be found here in Brussels of course... Actually that's not entirely true, as every two years after the Munich Oktoberfest one of the Oktoberfest tents comes to Brussels for a couple of nights - just one tent for all the German and other Expats... and us, of course... :-)  With all the original beer and food, big Pretzels, music, and the traditional big mess. But such fun, and we look forward to the next in 2013... This potato
salad is really silky and moist, and feels so light compared to it's heavy mayonnaised cousin. It is made with hot soup that is absorbed by the potatoes making them tasty and creating the typical consistency of this salad. The original recipe states 750ml stock. I used this amount once and just poured it over, and my potatoes were literally swimming in soup even after several hours so that I finally had to put the salad through a sieve  :-)  Every type of potato is different, and even if using the same potatoes, they might be boiled more or less than other times. So having learned my lesson the hard way, I reduced the quantity of the original recipe and I add this amount slowly, so first half and then bit by bit as needed. There are many varieties of this salad in Munich: with and without bacon, chive or gherkins, but they all have the following in common: they are made with hot soup and are mustard-and-vinegar-spicy, with a hint of sweet. The salad goes really well with barbecued or grilled meat and sausages. Also with roast meats, chicken or burgers. Or simply on its own...  :-)  Also great for entertaining, as it can be prepared ahead of time. 

Recipe source: posted by 'Lollipop' on CHEFKOCH.DE 

Makes 4 portions:

1 1/2 kg salad (waxy) potatoes

1 white onion

400-500ml beef or vegetable soup (or made from stock cube)

1 tsp (5ml) sugar

1 tsp (5ml) mustard

3 Dsp (30ml) vinegar

4 Dsp (40ml) (sunflower) oil

75g bacon

1 bunch chives

optional: couple of cornichons or gherkins

Sea salt
Freshly milled black pepper

Wash the unpeeled potatoes, put them in a large pot, cover them with cold water and gently boil until soft at which point it should be possible to easily pierce them with a small knife. Peel them while still hot, then cut them into thin slices into a large salad bowl.

In the meantime finely dice the onion.

 

Heat the soup (alternatively dissolve the stock cubes in boiling water), then put half of it in a saucepan and bring to simmering point, keeping the remaining soup for later. Add the chopped onion and leave to simmer and soften for a couple of minutes.

Add the sugar, mustard, vinegar and oil, stir well, then pour the hot mixture over the warm potato slices.

Cut the bacon into small pieces, then fry them in a pan until fully cooked. Finely cut the chives, a couple of cornichons or gherkins and add all three ingredients to the potatoes. Stir well.

Season the salad with salt and pepper, cover and leave to rest for app. 30 mins. At the beginning the potatoes will more or less be 'swimming' in the soup, but don't worry, the potatoes will absorb the liquid as they sit. Check frequently and add more of the prepared soup as necessary to keep the salad moist. Depending on the type of potatoes, this will be more or less, so I prefer to start with half the soup, and then add more over time until I see that the potatoes are no longer absorbing any liquid. Once finished, the salad should be quite moist, but not swimming in soup. The salad is best if left to rest for several hours in the fridge.

Once finished, the salad should be quite moist, but not swimming in soup. The salad is best if left to rest for several hours in the fridge. Before serving, remove the salad from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Taste once more and season with more salt, pepper or mustard as necessary.

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BAVARIAN POTATO SALAD

Makes 4 portions:

1 1/2 kg salad (waxy) potatoes

1 white onion

400-500ml beef or vegetable soup (or made from stock cube)

1 tsp (5ml) sugar

1 tsp (5ml) mustard

3 Dsp (30ml) vinegar

4 Dsp (40ml) (sunflower) oil

75g bacon

1 bunch chives

optional: couple of cornichons or gherkins

Sea salt
Freshly milled black pepper

1) Boil the Potatoes: Wash the unpeeled potatoes, put them in a large pot, cover with cold water and gently boil until soft at which point it should be possible to easily pierce them with a small knife. 

2) Peel and cut the potatoes: Peel them while still hot, then cut them into thin slices into a large salad bowl.

3) Prepare the remaining ingredients: In the meantime finely dice the onion, bacon, gherkins and chive. 

4) Prepare the marinade: Heat the soup (alternatively dissolve the stock cubes in boiling water), then put half of it in a saucepan and bring to simmering point, keeping the remaining soup for later. Add the chopped onion and leave to simmer and soften for a couple of minutes. Add the sugar, mustard, vinegar and oil to the marinade. 

5) Pour the marinade over the potatoes: Pour the hot marinade over the warm potato slices.

6) Fry the bacon: Cut the bacon into small pieces, then fry them in a pan until fully cooked. 

7) Add the remaining ingredients: Add the fried bacon, diced gherkins and chopped chives to the potatoes and stir well. 

8) Season, cover and rest: Season the salad with salt and pepper, cover and leave to rest for app. 30 mins. At the beginning the potatoes will more or less be 'swimming' in the soup, but don't worry, the potatoes will absorb the liquid as they sit. Check frequently and add more of the prepared soup as necessary to keep the salad moist. Depending on the type of potatoes, this will be more or less, so I prefer to start with half the soup, and then add more over time until I see that the potatoes are no longer absorbing any liquid. Once finished, the salad should be quite moist, but not swimming in soup. The salad is best if left to rest for several hours in the fridge. 

9) Serve: Before serving, remove the salad from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Taste once more and season with more salt, pepper or mustard as necessary.