Potato Salad

[Mikey]

Can't stomach most commercial potato salad because it's too sweet. Nothing ruins a potato salad more than a sweet dressing. I prefer a mayo based dressing with a little bite. I've tried some sour cream based versions that are OK too.

Here's how I do it.

Ingredients:

Potatoes (red or white rose preferred - they are less likely to get mushy than russets)
Italian Dressing (Newman's Own preferred, but not a big deal)
Mayo (no Miracle Whip allowed)
Hard boiled eggs (sliced)
Celery
Black Olives, cut in half
Celery Seed
Grey Poupon Mustard
Salt to taste

Cut the potatoes into 1" round slices. I prefer to leave the skin on. Boil until just done - prolly about 20 minutes. When you can stick a fork in them and they feel like they're done, drain in a collander. Put the potatoes back in the pot and cool down with some ice water. They don't need to be cold, but about room temperature is OK. Remove any remaining ice and drain well again in a collander. Let them sit there for 10 or 15 minutes to make sure you drain as much water off as possible.

Take the potato slices and quarter them back into the pot or into a large bowl. Toss with some of the Italian dressing. At this point you can either chill the potatoes overnight, or go on to the next step.

After the potatoes have chilled overnight, add the rest of the ingredients. I'll leave the amounts up to you. For a large batch I add a couple of tablespoons of the mustard. Dice the celery - add the leaves as well.

Once the remaining ingredients have been added and blended in, you can chill the finished product overnight (if you didn't already do it before), or at least a few hours. Keep in mind that as it sits the flavors will intermingle and penetrate the potatoes. It should actually taste a little more salty than you might prefer when it's first mixed because it will tone down considerably as it sits.

When ready to serve, you can decorate the top with some more egg slices and black olives. Sprinkle a little paprika on top to add some color. This potato salad came from my mom and gets raves from everybody who tries it.

My wife's family used to make a similar version, but they added a little ketchup and some sliced pimentos to the mixture. I do this sometimes as well to keep her happy. It doesn't change the flavor much but does add some more color. The celery seed is my family's "secret" ingredient. I used to occasionally throw in some chopped onions too, but for some reason this now gives me indigestion.

[Dinsdale]

Red White and Blue potato salad rocks.

But I don't have a recipe.

Looking at them online...

They're not right.


Red potatoes, mayo, bleu cheese and... stuff.

[Mikey]

Bleu cheese.

Interesting. Haven't tried that but now I may have to.

[bbqjones]

bacon bits/greasy bacon slabs work too.

[smackaholic]

potatoes should never be boiled in a large pot of water. chop them up into good sized chunks, maybe an inch square or a little better, skins on. Add maybe a cup of water, just enough to keep the bottom of the pan from burning. Steam them long enough to be barely cooked. Mushy tater salad is teh sukk. Then marinade the potatoes with some good vinegar and let sit in the fridge for atleast 6 hours or so.

Then go ahead and make your favorite tater salad. And, yes, sweet potato salad sukks near as much as mushy does.

[Mikey]

Steamed works too. But if you're careful about boiling 'em it comes out just the same.

[Goober McTuber]

When I made potato salad in a restaurant years ago, we used the prior night’s leftover baked potatoes. Giant russet potatoes. Made excellent non-mushy potato salad.

No vinegar in my potato salad. Afraid it might remind me of that God-awful German potato salad.

[Mikey]

I worked in a German restaurant for a number of years. The owner made an awesome German potato salad. Served warm or cold it was great. Completely different animal than the mayo based version but still damn good.

[Dinsdale]

Bleu cheese.

Interesting. Haven't tried that but now I may have to.

Several years back, it kinda became standard 4th of July fare around here.

And I believe the versions I've had include bacon bits, as well.

And they don't include freaking tomatoes, like the recipes I saw.

But the bleu cheese is freaking awesome... if you're into stonky cheese.

[Goober McTuber]

I worked in a German restaurant for a number of years. The owner made an awesome German potato salad. Served warm or cold it was great. Completely different animal than the mayo based version but still damn good.

Absolutely hate that stuff. There's no good way to make it. Tastes like wifey spilled her douchebag onto some taters. Anchovies might even make that stuff taste better.

[Dinsdale]

If you serve me food with anchovies in it, I will fucking kill you, no questions asked.

'Round these parts, we have a name for anchovies and all of the other minnows...


We call that "bait."


Only a heathen confuses bait for food.


But the minnows, anchovies, herring, and smelt often make for a means for the barbarians (aka "bait fisherman") to catch salmon and sturgeon.

[smackaholic]

I worked in a German restaurant for a number of years. The owner made an awesome German potato salad. Served warm or cold it was great. Completely different animal than the mayo based version but still damn good.

Absolutely hate that stuff. There's no good way to make it. Tastes like wifey spilled her douchebag onto some taters. Anchovies might even make that stuff taste better.

you really need to trade in them taste buds for a functioning set, goobs. Kraut tater salad has over that sweet sissyfied shit you like.

And for the love of god any reference to frau goobs personal hygene products in a fukking cooking forum, ought to bring atleat a 6 month ban. I throwed up in my mouf a bit reading that.

[Goober McTuber]

I worked in a German restaurant for a number of years. The owner made an awesome German potato salad. Served warm or cold it was great. Completely different animal than the mayo based version but still damn good.

Absolutely hate that stuff. There's no good way to make it. Tastes like wifey spilled her douchebag onto some taters. Anchovies might even make that stuff taste better.

you really need to trade in them taste buds for a functioning set, goobs. Kraut tater salad has over that sweet sissyfied shit you like.

And for the love of god any reference to frau goobs personal hygene products in a fukking cooking forum, ought to bring atleat a 6 month ban. I throwed up in my mouf a bit reading that.

German potato salad is fucking nasty. Yeah, nothing like a mouthful of warm vinegar. No way that compares to a nice plate of American potato salad. And if your American potato salad is too sweet, quit putting sugar in it. Or maybe you’re making it with Miracle Whip.

American Idol fanatic has no business talking about “taste”.

[Mikey]

Yeah, nothing like a mouthful of warm vinegar.

I'm guessing there's a lot of German food you don't like besides their potato salad.

To each their own, I guess.

I'm guessing you're not too fond of wilted spinach salad either.

[Goober McTuber]

Yeah, nothing like a mouthful of warm vinegar.

I'm guessing there's a lot of German food you don't like besides their potato salad.

To each their own, I guess.

I'm guessing you're not too fond of wilted spinach salad either.

I really like sauerkraut, hasenpfeffer, Spaetzle, some of the German sausages (save your homosmack, tards). But generally speaking, cooking with vinegar doesn’t do much for me. A good quality vinegar in a salad dressing I can see. But yeah, there’s a lot of cuisines I’d favor ahead of German.

The wilted spinach salad I had was done with a nice balsamic vinegar, which is a far cry from straight white vinegar, which is what my family used in German potato salad. Maybe you could improve the German potato salad by using a cider vinegar, but I’m not optimistic.

[indyfrisco]

Personally, I hate german potato salad. However, german fries are the shiznit. I live in big time German Catholic town in Southern Indiana. Over half the food joints here are german. Good eats that German food is...but not the potato salad. Funny...I can't think of a place here that does sell german potato salad. Seemed to be a lot more abundant in places in Texas I lived than Germantown USA here.

Here's our little party we throw yearly. I'll be doing this all next weekend (count me out on the Griswold Euro vacay outifts).

http://www.jasperstrassenfest.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Mikey]

The wilted spinach salad I had was done with a nice balsamic vinegar, which is a far cry from straight white vinegar, which is what my family used in German potato salad. Maybe you could improve the German potato salad by using a cider vinegar, but I’m not optimistic.

Years ago when I first started fooling around with spinach salad I'd cook up a bunch of bacon and use the bacon fat in the dressing with some tarragon vinegar.

In the years since then as my cholesterol has gone up and my metabolism has gone down I've refined it to olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a few diced shallots and/or garlic. Sometimes add a little grey poupon. I haven't completely quit the bacon but I'm now using the pre-crumbled Hormel bacon bits you can get in a bag at Costco. A few toasted walnuts, pecans or maybe pine nuts. Some shaved parmesan and you're ready to go.

[Goober McTuber]

The wilted spinach salad I had was done with a nice balsamic vinegar, which is a far cry from straight white vinegar, which is what my family used in German potato salad. Maybe you could improve the German potato salad by using a cider vinegar, but I’m not optimistic.

Years ago when I first started fooling around with spinach salad I'd cook up a bunch of bacon and use the bacon fat in the dressing with some tarragon vinegar.

In the years since then as my cholesterol has gone up and my metabolism has gone down I've refined it to olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a few diced shallots and/or garlic. Sometimes add a little grey poupon. I haven't completely quit the bacon but I'm now using the pre-crumbled Hormel bacon bits you can get in a bag at Costco. A few toasted walnuts, pecans or maybe pine nuts. Some shaved parmesan and you're ready to go.

That sounds reasonably good. Serious question, is that considered German cuisine?

[Mikey]

No, but it does have vinegar in it.

[indyfrisco]

Beef Rolladen w/Red Cabbage and Spatzle

Now that...is German cuisine. Although, I'm not a red cabbage fan. I usually sub that with German Fries. Beef Rolladen is a thin piece of top round stuffed with sautees mushrooms, onions, green peppers and carrots. Served with a brown grave. German fries are thin slices of potatoes panfried with onions. Spatzle is the German noodle usually sueved with some of the brown gravy. Good...fukken....eats. And you feel like a major fatass after eating it.

Beef Rolladen w/Red Cabbage and Spatzle



German Fries



Always have leftover german fries and I use them in a breakfast burrito the next day.

[Dinsdale]

Always have leftover german fries and I use them in a breakfast burrito the next day.

Roll it up with carne asada, cheddar, and salsa, and it's an Oregon Burrito.

Although I think if you added gauc, you might be flirting with a San Diego Burrito... close call.

[Mikey]

Apparently the recipe for rouladen varies by region in Germany.

The version that was made in the restaurant I worked in had a thin slice of beef rolled around either ham or bacon, some mustard, onions and a slice of dill pickle.

Either way - that was some good stuff.

[smackaholic]

What exactly is a german fry?

Bet, it can kick the shit out of a french fry.

[indyfrisco]

Ingredients
5 lbs. unpeeled potatoes
12 slices bacon
1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 t. each: salt and black pepper
2 T. vegetable oil

Directions
1. German fries are essentially fried potatoes with onions. You find german fries on any menu in southern Indiana. You can't just chop onions and toss them in with the potatoes, because they cook faster, and by the time the potatoes are done, the onions are burned. So here's how it's done.

2. Boil the potatoes until not quite done, drain and cool. Peel the potatoes, then slice them. Fry the bacon, reserving the drippings, drain the slices on paper towels, then crumble the bacon. Fry the onion in the bacon drippings until translucent, then remove the onions and reserve. Add the vegetable oil to the drippings in the pan, turn the heat to medium high, then add the potatoes, salt, and pepper. Fry them until they start to crust, add the bacon and onions, and fry for another five minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and serve.

[missjo]

My tried & true potato salad recipe

the measurements are aprox
1kg Desiree potatoes cut into cubes with skin on & steamed till creamy but still solid
6 hard boiled eggs roughly chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped crispy bacon
1/4 cup finely sliced green shallots I think you call them scallions
1 cup light sour cream
a little salt & lots of freshly cracked black pepper
mix em all together & you got a bowl full of yumminess

[Mikey]

Around here shallots and scallions are two completely different animals.

Shallots taste similar to onions, but are brown on the outside, slightly purple on the inside, and are about the same size as a large head of garlic.

Scallions are green onions.

Shallot



Scallions

[missjo]

here in Oz these are French Shallots



& these are Green shallots or spring onions
[/quote]