A German Kartoffelsalat has to be schlonzig.
What does that mean? It’s a sensory mark of approval that properly cooked potatoes have been mixed with the correct amount of hot stock at the right temperature so that they soak up all of the flavours without turning into mush. When used for food, schlonzig describes an ideal consistency for a creamy starchy dish like risotto… or a potato salad.
It’s also what a Swabian grandma would use as an undebatable excuse when one questions her adding yet another tablespoon of vegetable oil.
Is it traditionally vegan?
A Schwäbischer Kartoffelsalat, which we’re making here, is one of the few German dishes that (almost) happens to be vegan, contrary to the versions from the North that are made with mayonnaise. Usually, the southern version is also made with beef stock, but using a veg stock is a simple substitution that makes for a slightly lighter result without sacrificing much flavour. The real lip-smacking balance comes from the mix of vinegar, oil, mustard and good-quality potatoes.
Tips for a proper potato salad
There are a few things to follow if you want to make a serious potato salad:
- You’ll need waxy (festkochend) potatoes, also often called salad potatoes.
- Try to slice the potatoes as thinly as possible for them to absorb most of the flavour.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, move fast. Ideally, you want to mix the dressing with the potatoes while they are still warm.
- Add the oil after the potatoes have soaked up the dressing. That way the oil won’t create a barrier between the slices and all of the dressing can soak into the slices.
serves 4
Ingredients
-
1kg waxy potatoes (look for salad potatoes)
-
1 small onion
-
250 ml veg stock
-
50ml white wine vinegar
-
Pinch of black pepper
-
1 tbsp mustard
-
4 tbsp veg oil (60 ml)
-
15g chives
Method
Add the potatoes to a saucepan, cover with water, season with 2 tsp salt and bring to boil. Then simmer them for 20 minutes or until just short of being knife tender. Drain them into a colander and leave them to cool slightly, then peel while still warm. Now use a paring knife to cut each potato into thin slices while holding them above a large bowl.
Once you’ve sliced all of the potatoes, finely dice the onion and add it to a saucepan along with the stock, vinegar, pepper and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Bring it to a simmer and turn off the heat, then stir in the mustard. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and mix them gently to coat evenly before covering the bowl with a plate or lid to let the potatoes soak up the flavours for at least 1 hour, carefully mixing it 2-3 times during.
To serve, fold the oil through the potatoes. Finely chop the chives and mix most of them through the salad as well. Then divide the salad over 4 plates and garnish with the remaining chives.
Kartoffelsalat (German Potato Salad)
Ingredients
- 1 kg waxy potatoes (look for salad potatoes)
- 1 small onion
- 250 ml veg stock
- 50 ml white wine vinegar
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 4 tbsp veg oil (60 ml)
- 15 g chives
Instructions
- Add the potatoes to a sauce pan, cover with water, season with 2 tsp salt and bring to boil. Then simmer them for 20 minutes or until just short of being knife tender. Drain them into a colander and leave them to cool slightly, then peel while still warm. Now use a paring knife to cut each potato into thin slices while holding them above a large bowl.
- Once you’ve sliced all of the potatoes, finely dice the onion and add it to a sauce pan along with the stock, vinegar, pepper and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Bring it to a simmer and turn off the heat, then stir in the mustard. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and mix them gently to coat evenly before covering the bowl with a plate or lid to let the potatoes soak up the flavours for at least 1 hour, carefully mixing it 2-3 times during.
- To serve, fold the oil through the potatoes. Finely chop the chives and mix most of them through the salad as well. Then divide the salad over 4 plates and garnish with the remaining chives.
0 Comments