Margarethe's German Hot Kartoffelsalat

by Shannon Innes
(Maidens, VA, USA)

This is my Grandmother's recipe, which I learned standing on a stepstool beside her, watching. It is a family favorite, and was never written down before I took the time to measure the estimates I learned by. My Grandmother was born near Cologne, Germany, and emigrated to the United States when she was 13. Most of her other recipes have been lost through time, but this one has survived!

Ingredients:

5 lb. Small Red-Skinned Potatoes
1 lb. Lean Bacon
1 large onion, diced
3/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup Flour
1/2 cup Beef Boullion (cooled)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper

1 1/2 Tbs. Parsley

Directions:

Boil Potatoes whole for about 20 minutes (or more, depending on size), or until just fork tender; not mushy. Peel after cooled, if desired, but they are also good skin-on. Do not peel before cooking. Slice into coin-shaped, largish pieces, and about 1/2 inch thick. While potatoes cook, snip bacon into bits and saute in a large frying pan. Add onions. Saute slowly until thoroughly cooked. Drain off about half of the fat. Mix vinegar and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add sugar/vinegar mixture to bacon/onion mixture; keep warm. Stir flour into beef bullion until smooth (as for gravy). Add salt, pepper, and 1 Tbs. parsley. Stir into pan with sugar/vinegar/bacon/onion mixture. Bring to a slow boil until sauce thickens; turn off heat. Place potatoes in serving dish. Pour sauce over potatoes, mixing gently. Garnish with remaining parsley.

Special Notes:

This dish can be made ahead and reheated in the oven, or even in a crock-pot. In fact, it gets better after the first couple of hours. I even like it cold.