One of fall's biggest communal parties is Oktoberfest. Celebrate your German roots or simply fill that hungry tummy with this hearty ethnic dish. The warm potato salad has a nice tang that offsets the rich sausages. Serve with a lightly dressed cucumber salad.

• 1 pound unpeeled red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Salt to taste
• 4 large precooked bratwurst sausages
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon or other mustard, plus more for serving
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 bunch chives, cut into 1-inch lengths

Place the potatoes in a saucepan and add just enough water to cover by 1 inch. Season well with salt, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Begin heating the sausages. Fry them in a nonstick frying pan with a little vegetable oil, or steam on top of the potatoes if your pot has a steamer insert.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until slightly tender, about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vinegar and mustard.

When potatoes are done, drain them and add to the onions. Stir to coat, then season with salt and pepper. Stir in chives, then serve with the sausages and some mustard on the side.

Serves 4.

"The Working Cook" by Tara Duggan (San Francisco Chronicle Press, $24.95)

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