It has been a rainy year so far, but every time the sun comes out, I try to make every effort to enjoy it. Working in the yard is satisfying to get a little sun and get work done, but jumping in a pool afterward is pure delight. When a group of friends or family has a cookout, or any fun reason to get together, food is usually involved. I really love it when everyone brings a dish to share. The randomness of what dishes are presented is all part of the fun. I have been to events where most of the dishes are meat as well as when everyone brings a dessert. Either way, it was a good time and delicious. Most of the time though, there is a delightful mix of favorites and, occasionally, fantastic surprises.

Having a background in cooking, I delight in bringing something different to each event I attend, in contrast to some people bringing the dish they are known for making. Please know that I look forward to those dishes as they are part of the reason I fell into this industry. If grandma didn’t bring a couple of pies and chicken noodles, was it really an event? I often start with playful ideas that belong in a fine dining restaurant but quickly redirect myself to bring something familiar and comforting. I used to feel a personal obligation to bring a savory and a sweet, but came to accept that I don’t have to. Admittedly, I occasionally still get carried away in cooking and do it anyway. Thankfully, many people enjoy international foods like I do, so when I bring a Thai red curry chicken dish or butter chicken, they get devoured, and I get several requests for the recipes. 

I have mentioned before that even though the main dish can be great, I look forward to all the side dishes. Farmers markets are wonderful ways to get great ingredients to make some of my favorites. There are certain dishes that in my mind should always be at a summer event. Of course, there should be meats like burgers, hot dogs, brats and slow smoked meats. Then there are lettuce salads, coleslaws, potato salads, pasta salads and fruit salads. There must be baked beans, macaroni and cheese as well as devilled eggs. If there is not at least one pie or comparable dessert, it could be tragic. Some of my favorite people bring homemade pickles, hot dog chili sauce or other ingredients that make the meat even more enjoyable. 

Recently I brought a German potato salad with me. A couple years ago, my wife and I were travelling through Texas and accidentally discovered Wurstfest in New Braunfels, Texas. It celebrates German heritage and cuisine and happens over 10 days. I couldn’t enjoy the beers, but my wife told me they were amazing. We tried so many foods, but this one stand had the most amazing potato salad. We enjoyed it so much we went back, and I ate it slowly to deconstruct it because my wife insisted that I recreate it often. 

German potato salad is not mayonnaise based, and it is served warm or at room temperature. There are a couple little steps in the process that are critical to making a better version. Boiling the potatoes whole with the skin on is a must. This controls how much water the potatoes absorb. Peeling and cutting the potatoes when they are a little hot is also ideal, as it allows steam to escape the potato which also affects the water content of the potato. The point of controlling the water content up to this point in the recipe allows for the potato to absorb the maximum amount of sauce when it is added. Which means the flavor gets inside the potato more. I cook the bacon and onion together then remove them from the rendered bacon grease. They are then placed into a food processor and gently pulsed just to a crumble. This distributes the rich flavors more evenly throughout the finished dish. Use finely chopped fresh parsley right at the end which really brings a fresh brightness to everything. These may seem like small things to focus on, but they are the details that make the difference between a good dish and a great one. 

German potato salad 

Ingredients

• 4 pounds red potatoes 
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt 
• 1 pound bacon, roughly chopped 
• 1 Vidalia onion, roughly chopped 
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 
• 2/3 cup sugar 
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 
• 2 teaspoons celery seed 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot with 2 tablespoons kosher salt, and top with cold water. 
2. Bring it to a boil, and cook until tender; use a paring knife to test tenderness. 
3. Meanwhile, add bacon and onion to a pan, and cook over medium heat until bacon is rendered and cooked to your desired doneness. Note: super crispy bacon is not the greatest in this situation, but that is my opinion. 
4. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and onions. Do NOT discard the bacon grease. 
5. Place the bacon and onions into a food processor. Pulse until crumbled small, but do not make a paste. 
6. Add the bacon, onions, vinegar, sugar, Dijon, celery seed, salt, and pepper to the bacon grease. 
7. Warm until the sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat and reserve. 
8. Use a paring knife or a butter knife to peel the potatoes when they are still warm, but not so hot that they burn you. 
9. Roughly slice the potatoes, and place them into a bowl. 
10. Pour the sauce over the potatoes, and gently toss, trying not to mash the potatoes. 
11. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if you prefer. Add chopped parsley, gently toss and enjoy! 

About

Lincoln Land Community College offers credit programs in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management and Baking/Pastry, and non-credit cooking and food classes through LLCC Community Education.

Cooking or food questions? Email epicuriosity101@llcc.edu.