California German Potato Salad

I'm notorious for throwing together whatever is in my fridge and serving it to my friends for dinner, or bringing it as a dish to a potluck.  Sometimes it's a hit and people ask for the recipe!  Problem is, I rarely use recipes.  This blog will be an attempt to document the success stories and share my secrets.

On Sunday, my family had our annual Mother's Day picnic in the park and everyone is expected to bring something.  My fridge was pretty empty, as I use Green BEAN delivery every other week and my dropoff wasn't scheduled until this Wednesday.  I love the service because it allows me to eat fresh organic/local foods all year long and with my busy schedule it's super convenient.  If it sounds like something you'd be interested in, check it out and use my referral link!  

I get off track.  So I was looking in my fridge and found the following ingredients:

1/2 lb. Thick Cut Bacon

4 Yukon Gold Potatoes

2 Shallots

1 Ripe Avocado

3 Red Slicer Tomatoes

The dressing was vinegar based for a light summer salad:

2 tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbs. Balsamic Vinegar

1 tbs. Dijon Mustard

Salt & Pepper

The night before, I fried up the bacon and boiled the potatoes.  You want to make sure the bacon is extra crispy and the potatoes are slightly undercooked.  

Cut the potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes and drop into salted boiling water.  Cook for approximately 10 minutes (I didn't time this) until they are soft on the outside and firm in the center.  Drain into a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.  I emptied mine into the bowl I would eventually use to serve the salad and placed in the fridge until I was ready to mix the salad.  

The bacon should be crispy and crumbled or chopped into small pieces.  I try to use an older knife when chopping bacon because the oils in it can dull a nice sharp knife.  This can also chill overnight until you're ready to make the salad.

The shallots should be finely diced, and the avocado and tomatoes cut into similar 1/2 inch cubes.  Throw these in with the potatoes and bacon.  The dressing is simple to make and a combination I use for all kinds of salads.  The dijon mustard adds a nice tangy flavor to the balsamic vinegar (I often add a little bit of champagne to this dressing for a sweet and bubbly element).  The easiest and most fun way to make the dressing is to put all of the ingredients into a small tupperware container, throw on the lid and shake it.  You can do a little dance if you're in the mood.  Toss the salad in the dressing and you're ready to go!

I call this a California German Potato Salad because it's full of yummy avocados and tomatoes.  Traditionally, German Potato Salads are made with a vinegar dressing rather than a mayo base - although they use a white or cider vinegar and we use balsamic here.  It was a nod to my German Matriarch Grandmother Grace Vogelsang :) 

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family did on Mother's Day.  I came home with an empty bowl.  Next time we'll have to double (triple) the recipe!

Me - Momma Cece - Grandmother Grace

Mother's Day 2015
Maryhaven Farm