Sunday Dinner: Oktoberfest Edition

When I asked Jason what he wanted to have for dinner this Columbus Day weekend, he said “brats.” I thought he was joking ….. at first. Turns out he was serious. With the weather turning cooler (although you wouldn’t know it by the Indian Summer we are currently having in the DC area) and football season in full swing, he was jonesing for some grilled sausages with peppers and onions.  Since we don’t have a grill we went for the next best thing—broiled brats.

As a side I decided to get in the spirit and try out a recipe for a warm potato salad. Rather the mayo-sour cream version we’re used to in the summer, this one relies on a vinaigrette for flavor. Warm, cold, or room temperature, it’s delicious just the same.

Even though I am generally not a hot dog/sausage kind of person, this was one seasonal meal I could get behind. Perfect for a (warm) October Sunday.

Brats with Peppers and Onions

Ingredients:
½ white onion, thinly sliced
½ red pepper, thinly sliced
1 TBL olive oil
4 bratwursts
4 hot dog buns

1.Preheat broiler. Broil brats 8 minutes or so per side until cooked through.
2.Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and pepper and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
3.Toast buns. Place brat on a bun and top with sautéed onions and peppers. Serve with brown mustard if you would like.

Warm Potato Salad
Adapted from Serious Eats

Ingredients:
2 pounds potatoes—I used a combination of red bliss and fingerling
3 green onions, chopped
2 TBL parsley, chopped
3 ½ TBL red wine vinegar
3 TBL olive oil
6 TBL canola oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

1.Slice potatoes into ½ inch rounds. Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes or until a fork easily pierces all the way through potatoes. Drain and set aside.
2.Meanwhile, mix together red wine vinegar, olive oil, canola oil, and mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3.In a large bowl, combine warm potatoes, green onions, parsley, and vinaigrette. Check for seasonings. Serve warm (or whatever temperature you’d like).