When I was growing up, my dad, who is mostly German by heritage, used to make this yummy spinach salad from produce straight from our garden. The base was spinach, and the toppings varied depending on what we had growing at the time. Most of the time it was tomatoes, scallions and hard boiled eggs (which were obviously not from our garden). He also created this delicious bacon vinaigrette that was served warm over the salad and was so delicious! Come to think of it, maybe I was craving that salad... hmm... Anyway, those Germans sure know what they're doing with bacon and vinegar by turing it into the best dressing for anything.
This potato salad had that same great flavor that is dense and salty from the bacon bits, but at the same time was still light and flavorful from the fresh ingredients. I've already made this salad a second time because I just needed more of it in my life! Oh, and don't make the same mistake I did when I made it the first time - the last two words of the recipe instructions say "Serve warm" and I didn't see that until I read them... last. And I wasn't planning on actually serving the dish to guests until later that evening. Suffice it to say, this salad also tastes great cold from the fridge :) When I made it the second time, it did really taste better warm, so I'd encourage you to plan better than me! Lesson learned! But it is good to know that you can enjoy the leftovers too.
Oh, and here's a fun fact of the day for you - Bryan is 100% German. Yup, he liked the potato salad too :)
German Potato Salad
From Food Network
Ingredients
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp minced chives, for garnish
Directions
Slice potatoes into bite sized cubes. Place the potatoes in a medium sized pot and cover them with enough water to extend 2 inches above the surface of the potatoes. Salt the water and bring to boil over medium-high heat. continue cooking until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15-20 minutes. Drain.
While the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once crisp, place on a paper towel lined plate and crumble into small pieces. Pour off the rendered fat, reserving some in the pan to cook the onions in. Add onions and cook at medium high heat until translucent.
In a large bowl (the bowl you're planning to serve the potato salad in) whisk the vinegar, sugar, mustard, and salt and stir until thick and bubbly. Add the cooked potatoes and toss to coat. Top with crumbled bacon and garnish with the chives. Serve warm.
