This is a very special family recipe from my Grandma Hirvo, who was born in Germany. She made this potato salad for as long as I can remember, and it’s still a staple at our family functions. She shared this recipe with my Mom before she passed away, and my Mom shared it with me. I may very well be the first person to have measured the ingredients and written down the recipe–it’s usually made by memory. So here it is…
Ingredients:
5 large white potatoes
1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup white onion, finely minced
1/4 cup potato water, reserved from cooking
1 Tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Peel potatoes and cut in half.
- Place in a large saucepan and cover with cold water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until tender (about 10-15 minutes).
- Remove potatoes from water and reserve 1/4 cup of potato cooking water.
- Thinly slice potatoes, while still warm, and place in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl whisk together vinegar, oil, potato water and garlic salt until well combined.
- Stir onions and chives into vinegar mixture.
- Pour vinegar mixture over potatoes and gently stir to combine. (Mixture will be quite moist at first, but as it sits the potatoes will soak up much of the liquid.)
- Season with black pepper, to taste.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
