This is the third in a series of posts I am doing for a foodbuzz German Memorial Day BBQ. Other topics include:
- 5/28/12: Meats, including a recipe for Wiener Schnitzel (Vienna Schnitzel)
- 5/29/12: Potato dishes, including recipes for German potato salad, pan-fried potatoes and salt-boiled potatoes
- 5/30/12 & 5/31/12: Salads, including recipes for Turkish shepherd’s salad and cucumber salad
- 6/1/12: Dips, including a recipe for Frankfurt-style herb dip
- 6/2/12: Breads, including a recipe for German “mixed” sourdough bread
- 6/3/12 & 6/4/2012: Desserts, including recipes for classic German cheesecake and egg liqueur cake
Links to the related posts will go live as soon as the post is up and can be interlinked.
I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed making all the food!! 
I was asked recently what had changed in our eating habits since I started blogging. My #1 answer to that: my husband is complaining that he has to eat more potatoes now, and he doesn’t like them nearly as much as I do.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE potatoes. Always have – my nickname growing up was “The Family Potato” . One of the great things this continent has exported to the Old World is potatoes. Fried, cooked, boiled, mashed… I love me some ‘taters.
OK, now THAT this is off my chest, I can mention the real reason for this post: they were of course prominently featured at our Memorial Day feast. We had them pan-fried, salt-boiled and in a salad. The first two varieties don’t really have what you could call a true recipe. I’ll mention what there is anyway. The potato salad is just another way to prepare that dish. Let me say again that there are as many potato salad varieties as there are cooks in Germany, and so what your grandma or mom made is not necessarily what WE ate growing up.
Salt-boiled potatoes or “Salzkartoffeln” are actually made by peeling and cutting them into larger chunks (or, if using smaller potatoes, leaving them whole), then bringing them to a boil in (cold) water with some salt added. Because they don’t tend to look pretty when done, they are usually immediately coated with some butter. I had found some cute little fingerling potatoes at the Westside Market, so I elected to leave the skin on – which is NOT the traditional way of making these.
Perfect pan-fried potatoes should be crispy all around. That said, you can also decide to make them in one large batch. This will give you SOME crunchy crusts, but not a whole lot, and they will look more like a hearty boyscout breakfast dish (or what I imagine one to look like ). Last but not least, as I was using red-skinned potatoes, I decided to leave them skin on all of them.
How do you like your potatoes? Fried? As a salad? …?
- 6 medium potatoes (or 1 lb of small ones), peeled*
- 5 g (1/2 tbsp) salt
- 6 medium potatoes, boiled
- salt, pepper, chives to taste
- 6 medium potatoes, boiled and peeled
- 80 g or about 4 slices of bacon
- ½ medium onion, finely cut
- 1 small apple, cubed
- 12 tablespoons (120 g or ½ cup) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (20 g or 3½ tsp) vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (20 g or 3½ tsp) lemon juice
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 5 g (1 tsp) salt
- 2 g (1 tsp) pepper
- Cut the potatoes into equal size pieces, about ½” or 1.25 cm in diameter.
- Add the salt to a pot with the potatoes. Whatever size pot you use, add just enough water to comfortably cover the potatoes.
- Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook until done. Drain the water, coat with butter and keep warm.
- Cut the boiled potatoes into pieces between ⅛” (3 mm) and ¼” (6 mm) thick.
- Fry in a pan with some olive oil, add salt/pepper and fresh chives to taste. Serve warm.
- Cut the bacon into small cubes and fry until most of the grease has been let out. Drain the grease and use it to fry the onions.
- Boil the potatoes, and unless using smooth-skinned ones (red for example), peel as hot as you can bear to work with them.
- Cut into thin slices, add the bacon and onions.
- Cut the apple into small pieces/cubes. Leave the skin on if you wish. Add ½ of the vinaigrette (see below) and let sit for 2 hours. Add the apples and the rest of the vinaigrette.
- Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Use ½ of it when making the salad, then ½ of it when the salad has had a chance to sit for about 2 hours and absorbed most of the liquid.
[...] 5/29/12: Potato dishes, including recipes for German potato salad, pan-fried potatoes and salt-boile… [...]
[...] 5/29/12: Potato dishes, including recipes for German potato salad, pan-fried potatoes and salt-boile… [...]
[...] Tina@flourtrader: My hubby is a potato hoarder, so it is nice to pop… [...]
My hubby is a potato hoarder, so it is nice to pop in here and see all these delicious recipes on how to prepare them. The German potato salad does look to by my favorite here-yum! The heart shaped potato is a pretty cool find!
Tina@flourtrader recently posted..Cherry Sachet Cookies
I thought this was a cute one, too. And good for your hubby!
Congrats Sofie. Happy dance! I know it feels so good when we get selected. I have done it thrice too but not a hatrick like. I have never submitted proposal on consecutive months as I thought for some weird reason that they might not select repetitive winner. Anyways, awesome spread and yummy food.
Vijitha recently posted..Memorial day weekend healthy grilling /BBQ ideas with Indian dishes
Thank you! I won’t try and get one for June – we’ll be out of town.
I will eat potatoes just about any way except raw. Give me boiled, baked, roasted, fried (rounds, chips, fries), in salads, and more.
Renee recently posted..Dr. Heidemanns-Bergweiler Pinot Noir 2009
Totally w/ you on that one. Kindred spirits!
I love your heart potato! Especially because potatoes are my heart!
I make a mean german potato salad…that is, I thought I did. And then, I saw yours. And now I feel like it might not be as mean as yours? LOL!
Jen @ Juanita’s Cocina recently posted..Beef & Barley Soup {A First Taste…}
I’m pretty sure you do. What kind of a flavor combo do you use?
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