German Potato Salad

German Potato Salad Variation #1
Main Ingredients

• 5 large Idaho baking potatoes
• 10 large eggs - hard boiled
• 1/2 stalk celery (including leaves)
• 1/2 bag mini carrots
• 1 bunch Parsley
• 12 oz. pkg. bacon - fried (no sugar added)
• 1 large onion
• 1 med. yellow squash
• 1/2 bunch of fresh green onions,
• 1/2 Tablespoon of "Herbs d'Provence" (when you taste it and it needs "something")
• SEASONINGS: Apple Cider Vinegar, Tarragon Vinegar, salt,pepper, regular mustard,celery salt, dry basil, sugar, chili powder or Zataraines.
  

Directions

1. Bake potatoes in microwave and let cool slightly (scrub well and leave skins on) --chop
2. Cook eggs and cool quickly in ice water.
3. Place chopped potatoes in large bowl while still warm and sprinkle with vinegars (apple cider and Tarragon, about 1 Tbl. each)--stir in-- this helps keep the potatoes from sticking together.
4. Add chopped onion, celery, carrots, yellow squash and let rest -covered about 10-15 minutes. (they will wilt together a little)
5. Cook and drain bacon. CRUMBLE or chop.
6. Keep enough bacon fat in pan for "rue" --slightly covering bottom of pan
1. add approx. 1/3 cup flour to bacon fat in pan over med/high heat - stir, don't burn! Rue should be light tan
2. Add HOT water to rue to thin until consistancy of this cake batter (keep stirring).
   
3. Add 1 Tbl cider vinegar and 1 Tbl. Tarragon vinegar, salt, pepper, regular mustard, celery salt, dry basil, 3 heaping teaspoons sugar, and a pinch of Chili powder or Zataraines.
   
4. Let cool a little, then pour over potato salad -- rince the pan with a little hot water and add it also (2 -3 Tbl. of hot water).
7. Stir in bacon pieces and chopped egg ---sprinkle a little more salt and pepper on the eggs before stirring. Cover and refergeriate.
8. Bring almost to room temp. to serve.
   

** I think the 2 types of vinegar and the mustard & sugar are the "secret" ingredients that makes this a little different and good, so don't leave them out. You could omit the yellow squash, but not the carrots or celery. Regular parsley seems to fit this better than cilantro, but can sub. in a pinch.

This keeps well, so make a fairly large batch -- 2 - 3 large potatoes would be plenty for a smaller group. I used 5 to serve 40 people!

(2 large potatoes - 4 large eggs, and adjust according to taste.)

This is better with the dryer type of potatoes (Idaho). Red potatoes or Mountain King's are more moist and gummy.


German Potato Salad Variation #2
Ingredients
7-8 lbs potatoes, cooked, peeled and sliced
¾ lb. Bacon
½ cup bacon drippings
2 sticks celery chopped
¾ cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped or grated carrot
garlic (optional)
3 1/2 heaping Tablespoons flour
2 cups vinegar -Cider preferred
pinch Terragon vinegar (optional)
1cup + water
½ cup sugar
little salt/pepper
¼ cup chopped parsley
pinch celery seed
1 Tablespoons mustard
hard boiled eggs (optional)

Directions
Fry bacon; use some of the drippings, and add chopped celery, onion, carrot (garlic optional). Steam slightly to soften vegetables.

Add flour and mix thoroughly. Add water and vinegar. Stir. Then add sugar, salt, pepper and crisp bacon. Pour sauce hot over potatoes.