This was the quintessential party dish while I was growing up. Do not add bacon or oil, this is not a German style potato salad. As simple as this dish sounds, it is easily ruined if the potatoes are overcooked. Prepared well, this is a wonderful salad and it’s best made from Hungarian kiflikrumpli. Never use white fleshed, starchy, baking potatoes for this dish. Red potatoes can work and the smaller [newer] the better, just don’t cook them soft, leave them al dente. With no kiflikrumpli in sight in January, I settled on half a package of Canadian red minis today. Tasted like home.
HUNGARIAN POTATO SALAD
1/2 kg red mini potatoes1/4 red onion
sprinkling of salt
1-1/2 cups water
2 scant Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp vinegar
• Cook the red potatoes al dente. Potatoes will continue softening while they cool.
• Pour off and discard the potato water. If any of the potatoes split, discard those or set them aside for some other use. These would have absorbed too much water and when put in the brine they will be soggy.
• Keep the potatoes in the same pot and let them cool until they are safe to handle.
• Peel the potatoes and slice them uniform.
• Arrange potatoes neatly in a glass serving-bowl.
• Slice the red onion and place it over the potatoes.
• Sprinkle the onions with salt and wrap the bowl. The smell of onions will be strong.
• Let it rest for 1 hour.
• In a small bowl, make pleasant [not too sour, not too sweet] vinegar brine from 1-1/2 cups of cold water, sugar and vinegar. The amount of sugar and vinegar used depends on the vinegar used , mine was 7%, as well as on personal preferences. Pour the brine over the potatoes and the onions.
• Wrap the dish really well and place in the fridge for a couple of hours so the flavours can mingle inside the bowl. Make sure there is nothing else open in the fridge that could absorb the onion smell.
• Serve the Hungarian potato salad with robust meat dishes, spicy sausages etc.
• Serves 4
