Warm Sweet-and-Sour Potato Salad Hits the Spot

[1]

I was up to Morse's Sauerkraut last weekend and had lunch with my sweetheart. We shared a reuben and some deep fried kraut balls. The dessert special was pannacotta with a sour cherry sauce. What a delicious treat! We try to get up to their shop whenever we can and fitting a meal into the trip makes it all worthwhile. Their sauerkraut is the best in the world. The folks who work in both the shop and bistro are knowledgeable and friendly. Definitely go when you are hungry. Stop by the cheese counter and sample some tasty nibbles. Let them take you on a tour around the world. You'll be glad you went.

My mom used to make this warm and tangy potato salad, always delicious with grilled bratwurst or any kind of barbecue. Both sweet and salty, it holds its own alongside other flavorful foods. The hearty potato soaks up the wonderful dressing, so be sure you serve it right away. If you need to wait before serving, make up an extra batch of the warm dressing and drizzle it over the top before you eat. We are fortunate that there are several local sources for bacon and sauerkraut along the coast of Maine. Contact your neighborhood natural foods store to find some in your hometown.

Warm Sweet-and-Sour Potato Salad

Salad:
6 large Maine potatoes
1 large Vidalia onion
1 cup Morse’s Sauerkraut [2], roughly chopped

Dressing:
1 lb thick cut bacon, diced
3⁄4 c yellow onion, finely chopped
3 T flour
1⁄2 c white vinegar or sauerkraut liquor
3⁄4 c water
1 T celery seeds
3 T sugar
1 1⁄2 t salt
1 t fresh ground black pepper

Wash and trim the potatoes and Vidalia onion, peeling the potatoes if you like. Cut the potatoes and onion into quarters.
In a large saucepan, boil the potatoes and onion until the potatoes are fork-tender, but not mushy. When the potatoes and onion are cool enough to handle, chop them into bite-size pieces.

In a large pan, fry bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel; crumble and set aside.
Add the 3⁄4 c yellow onion to bacon fat in pan and cook 5 to 8 minutes, until onion is soft. With a slotted spoon, remove onion and set aside with the bacon.
Whisk flour into bacon fat. Add the vinegar or sauerkraut liquor, water, celery seeds, sugar, salt, and pepper. Heat to a boil; then, set pan on medium heat and cook until thickened.

Add potatoes, Morse’s sauerkraut, cooked Vidalia onion, bacon, and sautéed yellow onion. Gently stir to coat the potatoes.
Serve while warm.

Savor. Linger. Enjoy.

-Cynthia

Cynthia is the author of Superb Maine Soups [3] and Fresh Maine Salads [4], published by Down East.