Hot German Potato Salad

When I was in junior high or high school, my family was invited over to the home of a German lady in our church choir (which my mom and I belonged to). That night she served Hot German Potato Salad, and my love affair began. Years later, when I was in a German class at BYU, we had a potluck and one of the students brought the salad. I begged her for the recipe and she gladly obliged. Unfortunately, one of the key ingredients for the traditional version of the salad is bacon. The first time I tried to make a veggie substitute, I used vegetarian bacon. The problem with this, though, was that it didn't produce the bacon grease that was really necessary to flavor the salad. Now when I make it, I use celery to keep an interesting texture, and I use a mixture of oil, soy sauce, and liquid smoke for that "bacony" flavor.

12 medium potatoes, scrubbed and sliced
4 stalks of celery, chopped
1/4c vegetable oil
1T tamari
1t liquid smoke
1 1/2c chopped onion
4T flour
4T sugar
4t salt
1t celery seed
dash pepper
1 1/2c water
2T apple cider vinegar

Boil potatoes and celery until slightly tender (don't overcook, or your salad will be mushy).

While potatoes are boiling, saute onion in oil, soy sauce, and smoke, until transluscent and slightly brown.

Blend in flour, sugar, salt, celery seed and pepper.
Remove from heat and add water and vinegar.

Replace on heat and boil one minute, until you have a nice thick sauce.

Add potatoes and celery to mixture.

Heat through, stirring to make sure potatoes and celery are coated.

Serve hot.

Gluten Free Adaptation

• Use 2T cornstarch in place of the flour