Hot Apple and Potato Salad

This week has been a perfect whirlwind of blog related cookery, which just goes to prove that I could do this faster if I would put my mind to it. But that is true of just about anything. I could get better scores on my teacher evaluations if I put my mind to it. Anyhow, Hot Apple and Potato Salad is... a dish that one needs to monitor the cooking of the potatoes for.

I got on the phone with my friend Juliette while they were cooking. She told me that she, her mother, her two sisters and her husband are all coming to Son's wedding in May. Should be fun. As a result, the potatoes were more fit for mashing than potato salad. I am not terribly open to innovations in potato salad. German potato salad doesn't cut it at all. The various different deli potato salads such as three cheese are okay, but not great. Red bliss potato salad is about the best. This potato salad is not very potato salad-y, meaning it has no mayo. But, since the weather has been cold, windy and rainy, it is a good dish for a chilly night.

Hot Apple Potato Salad
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup boiling water
3 cups sliced cooked potatoes
1 cup diced celery
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 slices bacon
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3 unpeeled red apples cored and diced

1. Place the raisins in abowl, pour the boiling water over rasins and let stand three minutes. Drain.
2. Combine the potatoes, celery, parsley, salt and pepper in a skillet.
3. In another skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Add the cider vinegar, tarragon vinegar, sugar and lemon rind and bring to a boil.
4. Pour over the potato mixture. Heat gently. Add the apples and raisins and heat mixture to serving temperature.
Makes 8 servings.