German Style Side Dishes - Potato Salad + Asparagus With Mushrooms & Bacon

Now that fall has arrived, I wanted to celebrate my German heritage by making an authentic German meal. I purchased German bratwurst from the local grocery store and knew Robert would be delighted to cook it on the grill for our family meal over the weekend. We decided to create some traditional German side dishes to complement the bratwurst. Robert suggested that I make my potato salad but with a German twist. German potato salad is typically made with apple cider vinegar, whole-grain mustard, and bacon drippings. I searched for various recipes and added my touch by including some crunch, garlic chives, and parsley. I used a raw red onion, diced, to add the crunch factor to the dish. To make the potato salad creamier than usual, I cooked the potatoes a little further than I normally would. I chose Yukon Gold potatoes, which are waxy and have less starch, to achieve the perfect texture. The result was beyond my expectations, and I would love to make this dish again, perhaps alongside schnitzel.

We had asparagus and crimini mushrooms on hand; for an additional side dish. I decided to use the bacon and herbs we had used for the potato salad, as they go well with asparagus and mushrooms. A quick sauté was all that needed to be done, and I added scallions for freshness and balance. This dish is very delicious and would complement most proteins.

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German Styled Potato Salad

Preparation - 15 minutes Cook Time - 10 minutes Serving 7-9

• 3 lbs of Youkon Gold potatoes or less starchy potatoes cut into bite-size pieces
• Medium red onion diced
• 12 oz Bacon cooked and roughly chopped
• Bunch of parsley, 1/2 cup chopped
• Bunch of chives, 1/4 cup chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Start by boiling the potatoes in well-seasoned salted water. Cook them slightly beyond fork tender. This will allow the potato salad to become more creamy. Do not allow them to get to the mashed consistency. Drain the potatoes once completely cooked. Place them on a sheet pan to allow them to reach room temperature quickly.
2. Place the potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Then dress with 1/2 of the prepared vinaigrette, and mix thoroughly. The potatoes will absorb all of the dressing.
3. Add to the bowl the onions, bacon, herbs, and a generous amount of salt and pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon of each).
4. Mix everything, taste, and adjust the seasoning.
5. When ready to serve, add the remainder of the dressing and stir once more. Enjoy!

Asparagus, Mushrooms, With Bacon

Preparation - 5 minutes Cook Time - 10 minutes Serving 5-7

• 1 lb Asparagus (cut in half lengthwise)
• 8 oz Mushrooms (quartered), we selected Crimini
• 4 Scallions diced with the greens.
• 1/4 Cup parsley roughly chopped
• 3 Tablespoons of garlic chives diced.
• 12 oz Bacon roughly chopped

1. Place the mushrooms in the same skillet you cooked the bacon in. Season with a pinch of salt to help the mushrooms release their liquid. This will enhance their flavor and give them a meaty texture. Cook the mushrooms on medium heat for about 4 minutes, turning them occasionally to ensure even cooking on all sides.
2. Add the asparagus to the skillet and cook for an additional 3 minutes, flipping it midway in the cooking process.
3. Then, add the scallions, herbs, and bacon with a heavy pinch of pepper. Stir everything together, taste, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and serve.