Secret Sauce: German Potato Salad by Gertie
From Gertie chef Nate Adler:
The story of the German Potato Salad comes from my father’s side. (Gertie was my mother’s mother).
As a kid, it was always our treat to go over to Grandma Edith’s house and eat traditional German food and drink chocolate milk with abandon. We usually had one of our favorite mains: Weisswurst from the German butcher, pan-fried to perfection or the best wienerschnitzel on the planet. But, no matter what, there was always a side of German Potato Salad — the perfect balance of vinegar and mustard topped with fresh dill to bring it home. At Gertie, we try to keep that tradition alive.
1 bunch dill, coarsely chopped
1 medium red onion, diced
1 cup red wine vinegar
⅛ cup sugar
5 pounds fingerling potatoes, whole
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste
Combine dill and red onion in a small bowl. In a small pot, bring the red wine vinegar and sugar to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir gently until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the dill and onion. Set aside.
In a pot large enough to cover the potatoes with water bring them to a boil and cook whole potatoes until fork tender. Cool completely.
When the potatoes are cooled, using either your hands or a potato masher, smash the potatoes until they are broken up but still very chunky. Combine potatoes, onion mixture, mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix. Can be served chilled or warmed.
