Wurstsalat (Sausage salad)

Hi,

Last autumn, Chicago Foodways Roundtable hosted Trudy Paradis who authored German Milwaukee: Their History - Their Recipes. For the occasion, Trudy and I made Wurstsalat from sausages she purchased near her home near Milwaukee.

I was at Garden Fresh last night, when I saw their sausage ends selling at a reduced price of $1.99 per pound. I was especially interested when I saw almost a pound of headcheese in one of those packets. It then occured to me this could be a good source for inexpensively recreating Trudy's recipe. I bought several packets with interesting sausage ends and one of cheese (edam, brick and swiss chunks). For maybe less than $5 ingredients, I made a quart of Wurstsalat for our lunch today.

One of the by-products of making this salad with Trudy, I learned of Milwaukee's brand Dill Pickles. I bought my jar of mini dills at Woodman's in Kenosha. It has quickly become one of my favorite commercial pickles for their snap and classic dill taste. These pickles were sliced into the salad and the juice used for the dressing.

Wurstsalat (Sausage salad)
Trudy Knauss Paradis

Select two or three varieties of sausages - Jagdwurst, bologna, Mortadella, Thüringer, Leberkäse, cooked Frankfurters or Knackwurst. Cut 1/2 to 1 inch slices into julienne strips, 2 inches or so, about 2 cups.

Similarly, cut a few slices of your choice of cheese - Swiss, Baby Swiss, Mozzarella or another favorite.
Finely slice half an onion.
Cut 2 or 3 dill pickles into thin rounds.
Slice 2 cooled, hard-boiled eggs.
In a large bowl whisk together l T dark mustard (with or without horseradish)
1/4 cup dill pickle juice or vinegar (add more or dilute with water if too sour)
2 T salad oil (preferably not olive unless you really like that taste)
pepper
garlic salt
(other spices you really like)
Add all ingredients and toss gently.

Optional: add chopped chives

Serve on lettuce

Any dark bread or rolls and a hearty beverage go especially well with this dish.

Quantities are optional. You're sure to like this colorful salad so much that you'll want to make large amounts and adapt ingredients to your own personal taste.

Enjoy!

Regards,