Authentic German Potato Salad

There are a few recipes that I have learned here in Austria that have completely replaced foods that I have grown up with, and this is one of them. While potato salads in the United States are usually creamy and smothered in mayonnaise, the potato salad here is vinegar based and a bit lighter. I have come to really love the flavor and simplicity and will forever make my potato salads this way.

Serves 8

6 cups diced peeled potatoes
2 small onions, diced
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Boil potatoes until soft (about 10 minutes) and then drain water and set aside to cool. Once cool peel off skins with a butter knife. Some prefer to peel the potatoes before they are boiled and that is ok too. Then slice them into bite sized chunks.

In a large pan big enough to hold everything, saute onions in olive oil until soft. Add vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper to the pan. Once this mixture is boiling, add the potatoes and heat everything through. Serve warm or cool.

You could also add crumbled bacon for a little extra flavor. Guten Appetit!

Borscht (Beetroot Stew)

from Mandi

No offense to the Slavic language, but I think the word Borscht sounds pretty awful. So when my friend Mandi recommended this recipe, I was a bit nervous to try it out. In the end I was pleasantly surprised! I loved how in spite of how simple the ingredients were the taste was really rich and delicious. I used beef in my soup, but I think it would be great vegetarian as well.

8-10 beets, chopped into smallish pieces

2-3 carrots, chopped into larger pieces

3-4 potatoes, chopped into larger pieces

1/2 lb of ground beef or pork (meat chunks would also be good)

1 large onion, diced

1 cup diced cabbage

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

4-6 cups of stock or water

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp rosemary

salt

Sour cream

Saute meat with onion and garlic and spices. Once cooked through, drain grease and add in beets and saute for several minutes. Then add carrot and potato pieces, saute for several minutes and throw the whole mixture into a large soup pot. Add cabbage, bring the water to a boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Twice Baked Potatoes

I love this dinner. It's cheap and delicious and so easy to make. With bacon and sour cream you can't go wrong. Definitely isn't the healthiest, but I'm confident substitutions could be made without affecting the taste too much.

12 large baking potatoes

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup cheese

1/4 cup chives, finely chopped

2 Tbsp butter

8 slices bacon, crumbled

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp paprika

1 ranch dressing packet

salt and pepper to taste

6 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (200 C). Bake potatoes for one hour or until soft. Meanwhile, fry bacon, drain grease, let cool and crumble.

Once potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the flesh of the potato leaving about 1/4 of an inch of the potato attached to the skin. Set skins aside.

In a large bowl combine potato flesh, sour cream, bacon, green onions, milk, butter, 3/4 of the cheese, spices, salt and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy and spoon back into the potato skins. Top with Parmesan and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Ground Pork Curry

Adapted from Chow Times

I am always nervous about curries. I don't have much of a background in Indian food, and I often question if I am doing things correctly. This was perfect for a beginner like myself, and Ben liked it so much that he ate the whole pot. It was spicy and so easy to make. I would be interested in trying it with chicken, and varying the heat levels, but it was great as is.

1 lb lean ground pork

2 onions, finely chopped

4 medium potatoes, cubed

3 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp minced ginger

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin seeds, roughly crushed

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp dried chili flakes

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 1/4 cup vegetable stock

1 large bunch spinach

salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions, garlic, pork, and spices together in a pot. Cook until onions are soft and meat is browned. Then add potatoes and tomatoes, once warm add stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once 20 minutes have passed, add spinach and allow to heat through for a couple of minutes, just enough to wilt it.

Serve immediately with rice.

Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes

adapted from impurrfections

This is an easy way to throw together dinner. I loved the combination of rosemary and chicken and the potatoes were a perfect side.

4 chicken breasts or thighs

4-6 medium red potatoes, cut into wedges

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh rosemary (2 tsp dried)

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 (176 C) and prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss potatoes and chicken with olive oil and arrange on the baking sheet. In a small bowl mix together rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper and sprinkle liberally on potatoes and chicken.

Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes, then use a brush to baste the chicken in some of the pan juices. Bake for an additional 15 minutes and serve.

Meat and Potato Pie

Adapted from Have Spork Will Travel

This is serious comfort food. Like a chicken pot pie made for a mountain man. I would love to try it with chunks of beef rather than mincemeat, but for the time being it will have to do.

1 lb beef

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

2 cups diced potatoes

2 cups carrots

1 cup peas

1 cup corn

1 can mushrooms

1 can cream mushroom soup + 1 can of water

1/2 cup milk

pie crust (two, for top and bottom)

Preheat the oven to 350 (176 C). Saute beef onion, garlic, spices, carrots in a large pot until soft. Drain excess fat. Then add potatoes, soup, peas, corn, mushrooms and milk. Simmer on low for 30 min until the liquid is reduced. Then spoon the mixture into the crust, seal edges and bake 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden.

Mom's Vegetable Soup

from Mom

This is a soup that my family grew up on. It is cheap and easy to make and has lots of lovely vegetables that moms love. It is perfect with a big hunk of fresh corn bread.

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups sliced carrots

1 lb ground beef

2 cups tomato juice

6 cups beef broth

2 cups potatoes, diced

1 cup peas

1 cup corn

In a large soup pot, saute the onion, garlic and carrot with the ground beef until beef is cooked through. Drain grease and add the tomato juice and beef broth along with the potatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the peas and corn and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

Corn Chowder

from Mom

This soup is hearty and perfect for a rainy, cold day. The ingredients are all very inexpensive so it is a perfect way to feed a lot of people on a budget.

Serves 6

2 lbs potatoes, diced

1 onion, roughly chopped

4-5 pieces of bacon (about 1 small package)

1/2 cup butter (about 112 grams)

6 heaping Tbsp flour

4 cups milk

3-4 cups corn

1 Tbsp dried parsley

1/2 Tbsp lemon pepper

salt to taste

Dice potatoes into bite sized chunks and chop up onions. Put the potatoes and onions in enough water just to cover them and boil until slightly soft and set aside.

In a large frying pan create a white sauce by melting butter and adding the 6 Tbsp flour, stirring constantly. Add in milk, one cup at a time and stir until thickened and smooth, then pour into the soup pot and mix well. In a frying pan, cook the bacon until crispy and drain grease. Allow bacon to cool and then crumble and add to the soup mix along with the corn. Add lemon pepper, parsley and salt and bring pot to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans Salad

adapted from Stacey Snacks

I love roasted vegetables, there is so much flavor released and it is so easy to do. This is a simple salad that would taste great as a side dish or a light lunch.

1 lb of potatoes, with skins on

2 onions, roughly chopped

1 lb green beans (would also taste great with chunks of Zucchini)

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp parsley

3 tsp sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Whisk dressing and set aside. Quarter the potatoes and place them in a bowl. Chop the onions into thin strips, and place them into the bowl with the potatoes. Drizzle the mixture with salt and olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 400 (204 C) for about 25-35 minutes, or until crispy.

Blanch your green beans in boiling water for only about 5 minutes (so they stay crispy) and drain in a colander. You can rinse them with cold water to prevent them from cooking longer if you like.

Once potatoes/onions are done, combine them together and just before serving, pour the dressing over the whole mixture. Best served warm, but tastes great at room temperature as well.

Pesto Potato Salad

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

This is a fresh twist on potato salad with no mayonnaise and one of my favorite flavors: pesto. The salad turned out beautifully and it was very easy to put together.

2 lbs small potatoes, quartered

1/2 lb green beans, cut into 1 inch segments

3/4 cup pesto (about 6-7 ounces)

4 Tbsp mild vinegar, like white wine or white balsamic

1 small purple onion, diced

3 diced tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts, but next time I might try pine nuts or almonds)

1 Tbsp butter or olive oil

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

Clean potatoes, cut them into quarters. Boil in salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. Add beans; cook for 4 additional minutes. Drain and let cool, transfer to a large bowl.

In a small mixing bowl, combine pesto, vinegar, and diced tomatoes. In a frying pan, saute onion until soft and add to the pesto mix. Pour over potatoes and beans and mix until potatoes are evenly covered. Add salt and pepper.

Toast nuts on medium with olive oil, salt and sugar; stirring constantly until they are a golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside to cool on a plate.

Garnish potato salad with nuts, serve immediately or make this up to two hours in advance.

Roasted Red Potatoes

adapted from Life's Ambrosia

This is easy and cheap and looks great as a side for any meal.


4 medium red potatoes, washed and diced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried oregano
dash of chili powder
2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, combine olive oil and spices and mix well. Pour the olive oil on the potatoes in a medium bowl and toss until evenly coated. Place potato mixture in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet or parchment paper, and bake on the highest rack for 3o minutes. Take them out half way through and stir the potatoes, being careful to return them to a single layer. If you want them to be golden brown and crispy, turn on the broiler for the last 5 minutes.

Red Potato Salad

adapted from Allrecipes

Spring means it's picnic time! For the May day celebration here in Finland, I was in charge of making the classic potato salad for our Vappu picnic. The bacon in this recipe adds some nice flavor, and the cucumber and celery have a nice crunch to them. Feel free to add or substitute as needed, this recipe is pretty flexible.


2 lbs scrubbed red potatoes
6 eggs
1 lb bacon
1 onion, minced
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 small cucumber, diced
1 cup mayonnaise (could substitute 1/2 cup for light sour cream)
1 tsp dill
1 tsp paprika
1 Tbsp mustard
dill pickles, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, but still firm (about 15 minutes). Drain water and set in refrigerator to cool.

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 10-12 minutes, then remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.

Cook bacon in a deep skillet over medium high heat until evenly browned. Drain grease, crumble and set aside.

Chop the cooled potatoes, leaving the skin on. Add to a large bowl, along with the eggs, bacon, onion, celery, pickles and cucumber. Mix the mayonnaise with spices and mustard and combine with potato mixture. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Crispy Oven Fries

Sometimes, Ben and I just get a hankering for fries. I don't mean the stringy ones from McDonalds, but the ones that still look and taste like potatoes. I have tried quite a few different recipes, and this one is my favorite. Adding the egg whites ensure that the spices distribute evenly without making them too greasy.


1 lb potatoes, washed and cut into wedges (skin on)
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili
2 Tbsp Parmesan
2 egg whites

Cut washed potatoes into wedges. In a small bowl, combine all spices, oil, egg whites and cheese. Mix well with a fork until the spices are well blended. Pour liquid over potatoes and turn them over to coat evenly. Place on a cookie sheet covered in baking paper and bake at 400 for 45 minutes, turning about halfway through. I leave mine in until I know that they are turning brown and crispy.

Irish Stew

adapted from Allrecipes

The secret ingredient in this stew is the Irish beer. Otherwise, it's just regular beef stew...


2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb lean stew beef
1 large onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup mushrooms
2 cups beef broth
1 can Guinness beer
5 sliced carrots, sliced
2 large potatoes, chopped
2-3 tomatoes
1 parsnip, sliced
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp parsley
2 tsp rosemary
bay leaves
salt and pepper

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium high heat. Cook beef chunks until brown on all sides. Add garlic, mushrooms and onions, and saute until cooked through. Then stir in broth and beer, add potatoes, parsnip, tomatoes, carrots and spices and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour. Spoon off fat. If you want a thicker sauce, add 1 Tbsp cornstarch. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Cheese Soup

from Anja Jensen

Ooooh, you can't go wrong with this creamy hot soup on a cold winter night. Easily changed to a vegetarian meal by leaving out the meat, next time I would try adding some chopped tomatoes for more color.


5 large potatoes
5 large carrots
2 Tbsp oil
8 cups stock
1 tub cream cheese (8 oz, or 225 grams)
1 lb hamburger *although this is easily omitted
1 Tbsp curry
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the hamburger and drain the grease. Chop carrots and potatoes into chunks and boil until easily mashed (or pureed). Then combine the stock with the mashed vegetables, boil for 15 minutes then add cream cheese, hamburger and spices. Stir until melted and smooth.

Serves 6

Shepards Pie

from mom

This is a cheap and easy dish, and very filling.

Filling:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 c beef broth
1 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 tsp wine vinegar
carrots (sliced)
peas
corn
salt and pepper to taste

Topping: (mashed potatoes)
6-8 large potatoes
1/3 c butter
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 packet of ranch (optional)
cheese to sprinkle on top (optional)

First, boil the potatoes until they are soft enough to mash. Also, boil all vegetables until just softened. Saute onion, garlic and brown meat, then drain the grease. Add broth and flour until thickened. Add vegetables, seasonings and vinegar to the meat mixture. Pour meat mix into a baking dish and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350. Mash the potatoes until soft, add butter, milk and seasonings until the consistency is smooth and creamy. Plop the mashed potatoes on top and spread out until meat mixture is covered completely. Sprinkle with cheese and bake until mashed potatoes are golden brown.

Serves 8

Sweet Potato Pie

from the Perfect Pantry

Finland does not sell pumpkin puree (or pumpkins for that matter...) and at first I was really disappointed that we wouldn't have pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.  Then I did some investigating and learned that sweet potato pie is very similar in taste and texture, so I gave it a whirl.  

The only thing I would do differently is cover the crust edge with foil for the first 30 minutes of baking.  As you can see, my crust got a little burnt...  

One 9-inch Pie Crust

3 large Sweet Potatoes

3 Eggs

11 Tbsp Butter (about 1/3 lb)

2 Tbsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Ginger

2 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Honey

1/2 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1.  Preheat oven to 425 F.  Press the prepared pie crust into a pie tin and crimp the edges.  Next you will "blind bake" the crust, which means to pre-bake it for a short time so it will be semi firm before putting the filling in.  To do so, cover it with tin foil and pour rice or beans inside so the crust won't bubble up.  Bake for about 10 minutes, and remove.

2.  Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into large chunks.  Place them in a pot filled water until they are totally submerged.  Boil until potatoes are soft, then drain the water and mash them.  Add baking powder, spices, brown sugar, honey and condensed milk and whip together until smooth.    

3.  Then raise the heat to 405 F, and pour the sweet potato mixture into the pie shells.  Cover just the edges with foil and bake for 30 minutes, remove the foil to bake the final 15 minutes.  Before removing, check to make sure the pies are firm and not soupy, if they need a little more time, just keep it in until firm.  Serve with whipped cream.    

Sweet Potato Wedges

adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

Sweet Potatoes (one per person)

Olive Oil (1/2 Tbsp per potato)

Spice Mix (about 1/2 tsp per potato) 

You can use any spice mix you like, here are a few options to experiment with:

Option 1: garlic, rosemary, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper

Option 2: cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, allspice, salt, brown sugar

Option 3:  Salt, pepper

Preheat the oven to 425.  Peel potatoes and cut into strips about 3 inches long and 3/4 inches thick.  In a bowl, toss potatoes with olive oil and spice mixture.  Place on a non stick cookie sheet in a single layer.  Roast for 30-40 minutes, turning every ten minutes.  The potatoes will be soft and lightly browned when they are finished.  Serve hot.  

Hasselback Potatoes

from Bread and Honey

Basically, these are just really pretty baked potatoes.  I took the advice of Alicia from B&H and topped them with caramelized shallots and leftover gruyére.     

Potatoes

Salt & Pepper to taste

Topping: (optional, but delicious!)

Shallots (can substitute with yellow Onion.)

1 Clove of Garlic

1 medium Onion

1 1/2 Tbsp Sugar

2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

2 tsp Parsley

Olive Oil

1/4 cup Gruyére

Make a series of cuts about 3/4 of the way through the potato.  Do not cut all the way!  Bake in the oven at 400 (until cooked) for about one hour.  While baking, start on the onions.  Chop up garlic and cut onion into larger strips, add sugar and cook on medium for about 10 minutes.  Add vinegar, salt and pepper and cover pan, cooking on low heat for 15-20 minutes.  Once soft, add parsley.  Once potatoes are done, top with onions, shredded cheese and enjoy! 

Sweet Potato Soup

If Fall (the season) and India (the country) got married and had a soup baby, this would be their love child. This is a very hearty recipe and has a nice sweet and tangy flavor.

4 cups Stock (chicken or vegetable)

2 lbs Sweet Potatoes, cubed

1 medium Yellow Onion, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, minced

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Curry

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Pepper

1/2 cup Rice

1 cup Plain Yogurt

Mint (garnish)

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Once soft add stock, and spices and bring to a boil. Then add Sweet potatoes, and let simmer for 20 minutes until soft. Mash potatoes (or puree in batches until smooth) and the soup will take a thicker quality. Add rice and simmer 20 more minutes or until rices is cooked. When serving, add a dollop of plain yogurt and garnish with mint.

Serves 4