Hot German Potato Salad

This makes enough for a crowd, so halve it if desired. Cook the potatoes and fry the bacon a day in advance and it’s a cinch to pull together. It might save time, but do not be lured into microwaving the potatoes, lest you end up with a gummy, unappetizing result. The leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days and gently reheated in the oven, but do not freeze. You’ll need a big baking dish for this, such as a 10-by-15-inch glass baker.

Makes 8 to 10 side servings

3 pounds (1.5 kg) Idaho or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 6 to 8 large potatoes)

8 ounces (230 g) thick-sliced bacon

5 stalks celery, finely chopped (1¹/₄ cups)

1 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

1¹/₂ cups (360 ml) water

¹/₂ cup (120 ml) white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

¹/₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) celery seed

1¹/₂ teaspoons (7.5 ml) coarse salt

¹/₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) coarsely ground pepper

Scrub the potatoes well. Cut them into quarters with their peels still on. Put the potatoes into a 4-quart (4-L) or larger pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then drop the heat to medium-high and cook at a low boil until the potatoes are just barely tender when you pierce them with a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let them cool until you can handle them. While they’re still warm, remove and discard the peels and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Put them in a large baking dish. This can be done a day ahead; let the potatoes cool completely, cover the dish with plastic, and refrigerate.

While the potatoes are cooking and cooling, fry the bacon in a large skillet until crispy. As it cooks, cover a plate with several layers of paper towels. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to the plate and let the bacon cool. Pour the bacon grease into a heatproof container. If cooking the bacon ahead of time, transfer it to a separate container, cover, and refrigerate. If you’re finishing the dish right then, don’t bother to wash the skillet.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). If you cooked the potatoes and bacon ahead of time, take them out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature.

Measure out about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the bacon grease into the skillet. Add the celery and onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the water, vinegar, celery seed, salt, and pepper and simmer for a minute or so. Pour everything over the potatoes, using a rubber spatula to get the last bit of it. Crumble the bacon into small pieces with your fingers as you add it to the potatoes. Stir gently but thoroughly to mix the sauce and bacon throughout the potatoes.

Bake for about 35 minutes or until the potatoes seem tender and falling apart. About halfway through, taste to see if it needs more salt; add some if it does, stirring again to distribute. Serve warm.