Willkommen in Deutschland: German Potato Salad

Yesterday I got it in my head that I MUST have german food for dinner.  For years I've tried re-creating my grandmother's (that's Oma to you!) german potato salad recipe and for years I've failed.  She's given my sisters and I the recipe many times over the years, but it still never comes out just like she made it.  So I've gone from recipe to recipe, trying to find that perfect balance of tart with a hint of sweet. 

So having a craving for german potato salad and schnitzel for dinner, I hit the grocery store on the way home to get what I didn't have.  That's always the first mistake.. especially when I don't have a recipe down pat like I want it to be.  As I'm perusing the produce, my hands hovering over the yukon gold potatoes, I look to the right and there are red potatoes.  I love red potatoes.  The skin isn't too thick, they're a creamy potato and do so well in a mustand/mayo potato salad I thought for a second, "self, you could switch it up a little bit and use those".. then answered, "self, what a great idea!" and grabbed the red potatoes.

Happy with my decision I hurried home, cleaned, pierced and threw those red puppies in their salted water.  As I'm doing other prep work I start thinking, what is it I'm missing.. I have to try something different this time.  Tired of the oh-it's-so-close's, I start making the dressing, hopeful that this time I will succeed where others (myself included) have failed.. again, that perfect balance of tart with a hint of sweet.

Wait for it.. Wait for it..  Success!!!  That's right folks, I know it seems silly to be so excited over german potato salad, but you have no idea how long I've been trying to figure it out!  And today, I'm going to share with you my own recipe for deliciousness! 

First, remember when I said I was using red potatoes?  Well, go for it, it puts a nice twist on a comfort classic.  If you're hard-core stuck on using another salad potato, by all means go for it, but I beg of you, try it just once my way and see if it doesn't make all the difference in the world!

Doreen's German Potato Salad

German Potato Salad
Copyright 2011 Doreens Delectable Edibles.  All Right Reserved.

8-10 red potatoes, washed, pierced
4-5 slices thick cut bacon (don't chince and use the thin stuff!)
4-5 green onions (if you're like me, the more green onions, the better), chopped
2/3 c + 2 Tbsp water
1/2 c white vinegar (distilled, not wine)
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp celery seed

Set your potatoes to boil.  Once they're boiling, let them cook about 15-18 minutes or until you can pierce them and they're firm but cooked.  While your potatoes are boiling, in a separate pan cook the bacon (I cut mine up to cook faster before it ever hits the hot pan) until brown and crispy (not burnt!) then take bacon from pan and reserve drippings.  Using the bacon pan add your water, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, celery seed and flour and cook on a medium heat, whisking constantly.  Once flour is whisked in add the reserved bacon grease and continue to whisk.  Heat for a good 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently until you get the desired consistency.  Don't rush this step otherwise you'll have that horrible lingering flour taste if it's not cooked long enough.  While your dressing is finishing, cut the potatoes leaving their skin ON!  This is where the recipe veers some, but trust me, it's delicious!  Add your green onion and bacon to the potatoes then stir in your dressing a little at a time.  I take mine from the pan and put it in a gravy boat to add a little at a time until I get the dressing where I want it to be.  Serve hot, warm or cold!

Summer Bounty: The Journey Part II

I can't believe I'm about to type this, it was horrible enough thinking it today, but Summer is winding down.  There, I've said it.  Sad, but true.  And here in Michigan it doesn't seem like it's been here for very long, what with our April showers that ran clear into June.  Planting was a chore this year for many because of the unpredictable weather changes.  And now it seems we've gotten over the hump of the blistering heat (at least I hope so!) and our gardens and local farm markets are just full of those late summer goodies:  tomatoes, pickles, cukes, potatoes, corn, squash and zucchini.  MMMMM... Zucchini...

For those who have grown zucchini, you know first hand just how bountiful this crop can be!  So just how many meals, sides or desserts can one make with zucchini?  Oh boy, tons!  Especially if you start experimenting!

I love zucchini.. grilled, sauteed, in any type of pasta sauce - whether it's red or EVOO based, in bread and my most recent discovery, in a crab cake.  Yep, that'd be a Zucchini Crab Cake to you.  I've seen and tried many recipes over the years from the "it tastes JUST LIKE a crab cake without the crab" to actual recipes that called for crab as an ingredient.  I've decided that I like them either way, but much prefer to have crab in it.  So after exhaustive research (really, who am I kidding I loved every minute of it!) I've come up with a recipe that I just love and hopefully you will too!

Zucchini Crab Cakes

• 1 large zucchini (about 3 cups), shredded and dried
• 3/4 c (about 1 can) crabmeat or 1/2 lb of the fresh stuff
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp dijon mustard (don't make the mistake of using honey dijon because the zucchini is already sweet enough and sometimes the crab is too!)
• 1 c DRIED breadcrumbs - don't use fresh ones otherwise you run the risk of the center being "gooey".  You can use seasoned ones if you like as well!
• 2 Tbsp greek yogurt.  You can use plain yogurt but I find the greek yogurt is thicker and holds everything together better
• 1 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1 clove garlic, minced fine or 1/2 tsp of minced garlic from a jar
• 2 green onions, finely sliced
• 2 tsp fresh, chopped parsley (if you're using dry, cut it down to 1 tsp) 
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 Tbsp EVOO

Once your zucchini is shredded, place in a colander and sprinkle with the sea salt.  This will help draw out the water a little bit.  Press dry with paper towel after about 20 minutes and remove as much of the liquid as possible.  From here on out, its cake - zucchini crab cake - HAHA.  Just add all ingredients in mixing bowl except EVOO and blend well.  Form mixture into 8 patties (about 1/3 cup in each) and chill while you get your EVOO warming.  Once oil is at medium heat, add patties and cook each side until brown (about 3 minutes per side). 

It's important not to have your oil too high or you run the risk of beautiful golden on the outside, hot gooey mess on the inside.  And I don't care how much you enjoy zucchini, that's not going to be enjoyable. 

I should also mention that I've seen many recipes that call for an oil and butter mixture for cooking the zucchini crab cakes in.. One caution when going this cooking route, oil and butter together create a higher heat point than just oil alone.  If you really want that butter in there, melt a tsp or so and blend it right in with your patties.

Enjoy this summer journey with me.  Next time I'm going for a classic zucchini bread with a twist!

Summer Bounty: The Journey Part 1

Over the last few months, life has gotten away from me it seems.  Well, at least where it pertains to blogging about wonderful food creations!  And it's this time of year specifically that I begin to get excited about food in general again.  I mean, how many meals can you grill before it becomes old news fast?  The doldrums of summer food got you down?  Yeah, me too.  But now that my local farmers market has finally come to town and my container garden is starting to produce fresh veggies the fantastic ideas play around in my head of great entree ideas or better yet, great side dishes for those grilling days (which is really most of the summer anyway).

Recently, a friend passed on a recipe she found using one of my favorite all-time ingredients, avocado.  Excited to try something new, I quickly printed it out and within the next week was following the recipe, tasting, changing the recipe, tasting and then planning for the next time I made it with new ideas in mind.  While it was a great base to start with, I did what I typically do with recipes, I dismantled it, changed it and made it my own.  But without that base recipe to get the creative juices flowing, I would not have found a great new pasta dish for the summer that's not only tasty, incorporating some of my favorite flavors, but super easy to make as well for those busy summer days - so thanks Cassie for the inspiration!

Are you curious now?  Well, wait no more, the dish I'm sharing today is an angel hair pasta in an avocado sauce.  Yes, you read that right, an avocado sauce.  It must be said right off, do not make too much of this recipe, because it will not reheat well.  Well, it will reheat, but the color will not be appetizing ;)  So grab your food processors or blenders and let's get cooking what's sure to be the next summer hit in your kitchen!

Creamy Avocado Pasta

• 1 medium medium avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1/2 box angel hair pasta (you can use others but angel hair is my all-time favorite!), cooked al dente as you're making the sauce
• 1-2 cloves of garlic (I find 1 and a 1/2 cloves is just the right amount, but if you go ga-ga for garlic, add 2)
• 3 Tbsp EVOO (one reserved for pasta)
• 1 ripe lime, zested and juiced
• 1/4 c cilantro
• 4-5 basil leaves
• Pinch of sea salt and pepper to taste

In your food processor add 2 Tbsp of EVOO, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, basil leaves, salt, pepper and pulse until chopped well.  When noodles are done and strained, add 1 Tbsp of EVOO to them and mix well.  Add avocado to food processor and let it go until mixture is creamy.  Pour avocado sauce over hot noodles, add lime zest, toss and serve. 

This dish would be delicious with or without a protein.  I think next time I make it I'm going to toss in some grilled skewered cilantro lime shrimp and make it the entree with some great parmesan garlic bread on the side.  And the best part about this meal?  It's creamy because of the avocado without the guilt of using a heavy cream sauce!  Enjoy!