Potato salad is a German creation from sometime in the 17th century, shortly after potatoes were introduced to mass agriculture. The first recognizable recipes for potato salad emerge only in the 19th century, with the codification of national cuisines. As Germany was not a unified nation-state until 1871, potato salad retains a highly regional character.
You can divide Germany into roughly four parts depending on which ingredients are used. Southern Germany and the Rhineland use vinaigrette sauces, whereas North Germany uses mayonnaise-based ones. Western Germany favors simple salads, limited to potatoes and a few optional ingredients such as pickles or onion. In contrast, Eastern Germany prefers salads rich with other elements such as eggs, carrots, radishes, and other vegetables.
This salad uses a vinegar base for the dressing, which is typical for South German recipes. The Swabian component is the use of vegetable boullion, which gives the dish a vibrant flavor.
Swabian Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Firm Potatoes boiled in advance i.e., potatoes that hold up well after boiling
- 1 Large Onion c. 50-100g
- 1.5 tbsp Vegetable Bouillon Powder
- 1 tbsp Mustard Brand Thomy
- 1 tsp Salt
- Up to 1 Tbsp Pepper
- 1-2 tbsp Table Vinegar
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup of Sunflower Oil
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes with the skin until they are almost completely soft, c. 20 minutes.
- Remove the potatoes from the boiling water and rinse them with cold water immediately. Then let it cool. The original recipe says to leave the potatoes to sit for up to 12 hours.
- Mix the bouillon, salt, pepper, and mustard with 1 cup of boiling water. When fully mixed, add the vinegar and let cool.
- While the broth is cooling down, cut the potatoes into thick slices and let the larger pieces crumble.
- Chop the onion into small pieces.
- Mix the potato chunks with the broth mixture and the onions. Add water if it seems too dry- mixing it should make a "wet" sound.
- Mix in the sunflower oil and serve.