Beefsteak Tartar
Beefsteak Tartar
Directions:
½ pound lean boneless beef, preferably tenderloin,
or top round, ground up 2 or 3 times.
2 egg yolks.
2 tbs salt
2 tbs freshly ground pepper
2 tbs capers, thoroughly drained
2 tbs finely chopped onions
2 tbs fresh finely chopped parsley
8 flat anchovy filets, thoroughly drained
Dark bread.
Butter.
Traditionally the beefsteak tartar is ground very fine and served as soon as possible thereafter.
Shape the meat into 2 mounds and place on separate plates.
Make a well in the middle of the mounds and carefully drop an egg yolk in each mound.
Serve the salt, black pepper, capers, chopped onions, parsley, and anchovy filets in separate saucers.
The beef and other ingredients are then combined at the table for individual taste.
Serve the beefsteak tartar with dark bread and butter.
Braised Rabbitt
Braised Rabbit in Spiced Red Wine Sauce
Ingredients:
2 3/4 lbs. rabbit, cut into serving pieces
1 c. flour
2 T. butter
1 1/4 c. chicken stock
1/4 lb. chopped pancetta (Italian bacon)
1 T. olive oil
2 clove garlic, crushed
1 c. mushrooms, sliced
1/3 c. dry red wine
2 T. parsley, chopped
1 tsp. dried marjoram
1 T. tomato paste
Directions:
Season the rabbit with salt and pepper to taste.Place the flour in a bowl and dredge the pieces of rabbit in the flour. Pat off the excess flour, leaving a thin coating of flour on the meat.
Heat a lg. frying pan, and melt the butter. Lightly brown the rabbit on both sides and remove the meat to a 6 qt. casserole.
Deglaze the pan with 1/4 c. of the chicken stock and add to the casserole.
Heat the frying pan again, and brown the pancetta until clear. Add the pancetta to the casserole.
Heat the pan again, and add the oil, garlic, and onion. Sauté until the onion is tender.
Add the mushrooms, sauté 2 mins., and add the remaining ingredients, including the remaining chicken stock. Stir together until the tomato paste dissolves. Pour over everything in the casserole.
Bring to a simmer and cover. Simmer gently 35 mins, turning the meat a couple of times. Turn off the heat and leave covered for 10 mins. To allow the meat to relax. Add salt and pepper to taste if needed.
Option: debone any leftover meat and sauce and use as a sauce for pasta.
House Pate
House Pate
Ingredients:
6 tbsp. butter
2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
Black truffle (optional), shaved
34 lb. chicken livers
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
14 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
4 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp. cognac
Directions:
Melt 2 tbsp. of the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add scallions and cook until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, if using truffle, finely chop all but 4 shavings (reserve these for garnish) and set aside.
Add chicken livers and cook, covered, over medium heat until just cooked through, 57 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and stir in salt, mustard, nutmeg, and cloves. Transfer to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth, about 2 minutes. Continue to process, blending in remaining 4 tbsp. butter, cream cheese, and cognac. Mix in chopped truffle (if using), then transfer to small bowls or well-oiled molds, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 24 hours.
Serve a generous portion of pâté on a bed of greens with bread, olives, and caper berries, if desired, and garnish with reserved truffle shavings.
Lentil Soup
Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
2 cups dried quick-cooking lentils
2 quarts cold water
¼ pound lean bacon in 1 piece
1 leek, white part plus 2 inches of green, finely chopped
1 large carrot, scraped and finely chopped
1 parsnip, scraped and finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 tablespoons bacon fat
½ cup finely chopped onions
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cider vinegar (optional)
2 frankfurters, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Wash the lentils thoroughly under cold running water. In a heavy 4-quart casserole bring 2 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add the lentils, the piece of bacon, and the chopped leek, carrot, parsnip and celery.
2. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Melt 2 tablespoons of bacon fat over moderate heat in a heavy 8- to 10- inch skillet and when it begins to splutter, add the chopped onions.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft and lightly colored. Sprinkle the flour over them, lower the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour turns a golden brown. Watch carefully for any sign of burning and regulate the heat accordingly.
4. Ladle about ½ cup of the simmering lentil soup into the browned flour and beat vigorously with a whisk until the mixture is smooth and thick. Stir in the vinegar, if you are using it. Then, with a spatula, scrape the entire contents of the skillet into the lentils and stir together thoroughly.
5. Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat for another 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Before serving, cut the bacon into small dice and return it to the soup with the sliced frankfurters. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes to heat the meat through, then stir in the salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
6. If the soup is to be served as a main dish, increase the number of frankfurters as necessary.
Poached Meatballs
Poached Meatballs in Lemon Caper Sauce
Ingredients:
MEATBALLS
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup finely chopped onions
2 slices homemade-type fresh white
bread with crusts removed
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 pound lean boneless beef
1/3 pound lean boneless pork,
1/3 pound lean boneless veal, ground
together 3 times
3 flat anchovy fillets, drained, rinsed in
cold water and coarsely
chopped, or substitute 1 teaspoon
anchovy paste
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
2 eggs
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
POACHING LIQUID
2 quarts water
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and
pierced with 1 whole clove
1 small bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
SAUCE
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon capers, drained
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons sour cream
Directions:
1. MEATBALLS: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over moderate heat and in it cook the chopped onions for 5 minutes, or until they are transparent but not brown. Remove the skillet from the heat. Tear the bread into small pieces into a large bowl, add the cream and mix well.
2. Add the onions, ground meat, anchovy fillets or anchovy paste, parsley, eggs, lemon peel, ½ teaspoon salt and black pepper. Knead vigorously with both hands until the ingredients are well combined, then put the mixture through the finest blade of a meat grinder. Moistening your hands lightly with cold water, shape the mixture into 8 large meatballs about 2 inches in diameter.
3. POACHING LIQUID: In a heavy 6- to 8-quart saucepan or soup pot, bring the water, whole onion, bay leaf and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil over high heat. Boil, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to low and drop in the meatballs. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the Klopse rise to the surface of the water.
4. With a slotted spoon, transfer them to a deep heated platter and cover them with aluminum foil to prevent their darkening upon exposure to air. Strain the poaching liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl and put it aside.
5. SAUCE: In a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over moderate heat. When the foam subsides, stir in the flour. Pour in 3 cups of the poaching liquid and bring it to a boil, beating constantly with a whisk until the sauce thickens and is smooth.
6. Reduce the heat to low, add the lemon juice and capers and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. In a small bowl break the egg yolks up with a fork, then stir into them ¼ cup of the simmering sauce. Whisk the mixture back into the skillet and stir in the sour cream. Taste for seasoning. Add the meatballs and simmer, basting from time to time, until they are thoroughly heated. To serve, return the meatballs to the platter, and pour the sauce over them.
Potato Dumplings
Potato Dumplings
Ingredients:
3½ cups hot or cold riced potatoes, made from 4 or 5 medium-sized baking potatoes (about 1½ pounds), boiled, peeled and forced through a ricer
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter
1 cup fine dry white bread crumbs
3½ teaspoons salt
2 or 3 slices fresh white homemade type bread, crusts removed
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup regular farina, not the quick-cooking type
2 eggs
1/8 steaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 steaspoon white pepper
Directions:
1. In a heavy 6- to 8-inch skillet, melt ½ cup of the butter over moderate heat. When the foam begins to subside, drop in the bread crumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until they are light brown. Set the toasted crumbs aside off the heat.
2. With a small, sharp knife, cut the bread into ½-inch squares (there should be about 1½ cups). Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy 8- to 10-inch skillet, add the bread and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the cubes are light brown on all sides.
3. Add more butter, a tablespoon at a time, if necessary to prevent the bread from burning. Spread the croutons on a double thickness of paper towels to drain.
4. Combine the flour, farina, 1½ teaspoons of salt, the nutmeg and white pepper in a small bowl. Then, with a large spoon, beat them, a few tablespoons at a time, into the riced potatoes.
5. Lightly beat the two eggs with a fork, and then beat them into the potato mixture. Continue to beat until the dough holds its shape lightly in a spoon. If it seems too thin, stir in a little more flour, a teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
6. Lightly flour your hands and shape each dumpling in the following fashion: Scoop off about 2 tablespoons of dough and form it into a rough ball. Press a hole in the center with a fingertip, drop in 3 or 4 of the reserved croutons, then gather the outer edges of the opening together. Gently roll the dumpling into a ball again.
7. Bring 4 quarts of water and the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt to a bubbling boil in a deep 6- to 8-quart pot. Drop in all the dumplings, and stir gently once or twice to prevent them from sticking to one another or to the bottom of the pan.
8. Simmer over moderate heat for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the dumplings rise to the surface of the water. Cook 1 minute longer, then remove the dumplings from the pot with a slotted spoon and arrange them on a large heated platter. Serveat once, sprinkled with the reserved toasted bread crumbs.
Red Cabbage
Potato Pancakes with Apple Sauce
Ingredients:
¼ cup finely grated onion
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
Bacon fat or lard
Applesauce or imported lingonberry (Preiselbeeren) preserves
6 medium-sized potatoes (about 2 pounds), preferably baking potatoes
2 eggs
1. Peel the potatoes and as you proceed drop them into cold water to prevent their discoloring. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs enough to break them up, add the onion and gradually beat in the flour and salt.
2. One at a time, pat the potatoes dry and grate them coarsely into a sieve or colander. Press each potato down firmly into the sieve to squeeze out as much moisture as possible, then immediately stir it into the egg and onion batter.
3. Preheat the oven to 250°. In a heavy 8- to 10-inch skillet melt 8 tablespoons of bacon fat or lard over high heat until it splutters. Pour in 1/3 cup of the potato mixture and, with a large spatula, flatten it into a pancake about 5 inches in diameter.
4. Fry it over moderate heat for about 2 minutes on each side. When the pancake is golden brown on both sides and crisp around the edges, transfer it to a heated, ovenproof plate and keep it warm in the oven.
5. Continue making similar pancakes with the remaining batter, adding more fat to the pan when necessary to keep it at a depth of ¼ inch. Serve the pancakes as soon as possible with applesauce or lingonberry preserves.
Rehschnitzel
Red Cabbage with Apples
Ingredients:
1 (3 pound) red cabbage
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 medium-sized tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/8-inch-thick wedges
5 cups boiling water
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
Directions:
Wash the head of cabbage under cold running water, remove the tough outer leaves, and cut cabbage into quarters. To shred the cabbage, cut out the core and slice the quarters crosswise into 1/8? Inch-wide strips.
In a heavy 4 to 5-quart casserole, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add chopped onions and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes, or until the onions are lightly browned. Add the cabbage, stir thoroughly, add the apples, and pour in the boiling water. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally, and reduce the heat to very low. Add red wine vinegar, salt and sugar, stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the cabbage is tender. Check from time to time to make sure that the cabbage is moist and tender. If it seems dry, add a tablespoon of boiling water. When the cabbage is done, there should be almost no liquid left in the casserole. Taste for seasoning, then transfer the entire contents of the casserole to a heated platter or bowl and serve.
Rib Eye Boch Beer Steak
Rehschnitzel mit Pilzen
Directions:
10 whole juniper berries
5 whole black peppercorns
1 small bay leaf
½ tsp of salt
6 six ounce venison cutlets
½ cup plus one tbs flour
4 tbs butter
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
¾ cup light cream
With a mortar and pestle, pulverize the juniper berries, peppercorns, bay leaf and salt together.
Firmly press the herb mixture into both sides of the meat with your fingertips.
Dip the cutlets into the flour and shake off any excess.
Melt the butter into a large skillet and when the foam subsides add the cutlets to the butter.
Sauté on each side for 2 to 3 minutes. Dont overcook, when done the cutlets will be slightly pink inside.
Set cutlets aside covered with foil to keep warm while you make the sauce.
Add the sliced mushrooms to the fat remaining in the skillet, cook them over moderate heat for 3 to 4 minutes
Stir in 1 tbs of flour then cook for an additional minute or two
Add the cream and cook, stirring until the sauce thickens a bit.
Taste for seasoning pour the sauce over the cutlets and serve
Roast Saddle of Venison
Rib Eye Steak in a Bock Beer Marinade
Rib Eye Steaks
6 rib eye steaks
Shiner Bock Marinade
1 12 oz Shiner Bock, or your local dark beer
2 Tbs garlic, chopped
2 Tbs red onion, diced fine
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
4 shakes Tabasco
2 limes, juice only
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
1 Tbs coarse brown mustard (Creole is good)
2 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp salt
Method:
Combine all ingredients except salt. Salt in the marinade draws too much moisture from the meat over an extended time. Pour over steaks and marinate from 4 hours to overnight. Cook the steaks over medium-high heat about 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare to medium. Season with salt to taste after cooking.
Variation: This is also a wonderful marinade for baby-back ribs, portabello mushrooms, chicken, lamb, veal chops, etc.
Roast Smoked Pork Loin
Roast Saddle of Venison with Red Wine Sauce - Pt. 1
Ingredients:
3 cups dry red wine
3 cups cold water
5 whole juniper berries
2 whole cloves
8 whole black peppercorns, bruised with a mortar and pestle or
wrapped in a towel and bruised with a rolling pin
1 large bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt
5-pound saddle of venison
4 ounces slab bacon, sliced 1/8 inch thick and cut into lardons
1/8 inch wide and about 8 to 10 inches long
4 tablespoons lard
1 cup thinly sliced scraped carrots
½ cup finely chopped onions
¼ cup thinly sliced leeks, white part only
1½ cups thinly sliced celery, including some of the leaves
3 tablespoons flour
½ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 poached fresh pears or 8 canned pear halves, thoroughly
drained (optional)
½ cup lingonberry (Preiselbeeren) preserves (optional)
3. Remove the venison from the marinade and set the marinade aside in a bowl. Pat the meat completely dry with paper towels and lard it in the following fashion: Insert the tip of a bacon lardon into the clip of a larding needle. Force it through the roast by pushing the point of the needle into the surface of the meat at an angle toward the backbone. Pull the needle through and trim the ends of the lardon so that ¼ inch protrudes from each end of the stitch. Space the lardons about an inch apart in 2 horizontal rows along both sides of the saddle.
4. If you do not have a larding needle, cut the lardons into short strips about 2½ inches long. Make small stitchlike holes through the surface of the meat with a skewer, ice pick or small knife, and use its tip to push the short lardons through the holes.
1. In a heavy 3- to 4-quart stainless-steel or enameled saucepan, bring the wine, water, juniper berries, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaf and the salt to a boil over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and let the marinade cool to room temperature.
2. Place the venison in an enameled or stainless-steel roasting pan just large enough to hold it comfortably and pour in the marinade. Turn the meat to moisten it thoroughly on all sides. Marinate at room temperature for at least 6 hours, turning the venison once or twice. Or cover it tightly with foil or plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for as long as 3 days, turning the venison over at least once each day. Because marinades are tenderizers, the older the animal, the longer it should marinate.
Sauerbraten
Roast Saddle of Venison Pt. 2
5. Preheat the oven to 350°. Dry the roasting pan and in it melt the lard over high heat until it splutters. Add the saddle and brown it on all sides, regulating the heat so that the meat colors evenly without burning. Transfer the saddle to a platter, and add the carrots, onions, leeks and celery to the fat remaining in the pan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, for 4 or 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and lightly colored. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of flour over the vegetables and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 or 3 minutes to brown the flour slightly. Watch carefully for any sign of burning.
6. Now place the venison on top of the vegetables and pour in enough of the marinade to come about 2 inches up the side of the saddle. (Reserve the remaining marinade.) Roast the venison, uncovered, in the middle of the oven for 1½ hours, or until the meat is tender (ideally it should be slightly pink), basting it occasionally with the pan juices, and adding more marinade to the pan if the liquid cooks away. Transfer the venison to a large heated platter and let it rest for 10 minutes or so for easier carving.
7. Strain the liquid in the roasting pan through a fine sieve into an 8-inch skillet, pressing down hard on the vegetables with the back of a spoon before discarding them. Skim thoroughly of all surface fat. There should be about 2 cups of liquid. If more, boil it rapidly over high heat until reduced to the required amount; if less, add as much of the reserved marinade as necessary. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the sour cream, whisking constantly. Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally, then stir in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning.
8. To carve the saddle, separate each loin from the bones by holding the carving knife against the ridge on either side of the backbone and cutting down through the meat along the contours of the bones. Cut the loins crosswise into ¼-inch slices, carving at a slight angle so that the first slice from each loin is tapered. Reassemble the saddle on the platter and garnish it, if you like, with pear halves filled with lingonberry (Preiselbeerepnre) serves.
9. Traditionally, the roast saddle of venison is also accompanied by a variety of such vegetables asgreen beans, carrots, mushrooms and red cabbage.
NOTE: To poach fresh pears, peel them, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the cores with a teaspoon. In a 10-to 12-inch enameled or stainless steel skillet, combine 4 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Bring to a boil, add the pears, reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 5 to 15 minutes, or until the pears show almost no resistance when pierced with a fork. Baste the pears occasionally if they are not completely covered by the liquid. Drain, cool to room temperature and refrigerate until ready to serve.
10. If a saddle of venison is not available, a 4- to 5-pound boned and rolled venison leg or shoulder roast may be substituted. In that case leave the lardons in long strips and insert them completely through the meat from one end of the roast to the other.
Sauerkraut
Roasted Smoked Pork Loin
Ingredients:
4 whole juniper berries, coarsely crushed with a mortar and
pestle or wrapped in a towel and crushed with a rolling pin
4 cups cold water
2 teaspoons corn starch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water
2 tablespoons lard
1 cup coarsely chopped onions
1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
3½ to 4 pound smoked pork loin in one piece, with the backbone (chine) sawed through at ½-inch intervals, but left attached and tied to the left attached and tied to the loin in 2 or 3 places
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a heavy 8- to 10-inch skillet, melt the lard over moderate heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and light brown. With a rubber spatula, scrape the entire contents of the skillet into a heavy casserole or roasting pan just large enough to hold the pork comfortably.
2. Place the pork loin, fat side up, on top of the vegetables and strew the crushed juniper berries around the pork. Pour in the 4 cups of water and roast uncovered in the middle of the oven, basting occasionally with the cooking juices, for 1½ hours, or until the pork is golden brown.
3. If you prefer to use a meat thermometer, insert it into the pork loin before placing the loin in the casserole. Be sure the tip of the thermometer does not touch any bone. Roast the pork until the thermometer reaches a temperature of 175°.
4. Cut away the strings and carve the pork into ½-inch-thick chops. Arrange the slices attractively in slightly overlapping layers on a large heated platter. Cover and set aside.
5. Strain the pan juices through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing down hard on the vegetables with the back of the spoon before discarding them. Skim as much fat as possible from the surface, then measure the juices.
6. If there is more than 1½ cups, boil briskly over high heat until the juices are reduced to that amount; if there is less, add water. Bring the pan juices to a boil over moderate heat in a small saucepan. Give the cornstarch mixture a quick stir to recombine it and add it to the pan.
7. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce clears and thickens slightly. Moisten the meat slices with a few spoonfuls of the sauce and serve the rest in a heated sauceboat. Kasseler Rippenspeer is often served on a mound of either plain or pineapple sauerkraut.
Shinken in Burgunde
Rouladen
Directions:
3 pounds top round steak, sliced ¼ inch thick, trimmed of all fat, and pounded ¼ inch thick
6 tsp dussoldorf- style mustard, or substitute 6 tsp other hot prepared mustard.
¼ cup finely chopped onions
6 slices lean bacon
3 dill pickles, cut lengthwise into halves
3 tbs lard
2 cups of water
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
¼ cup thinly sliced leeks white part only
1 tbs finely chopped scraped parsnip
3 parsley sprigs
1 tsp salt
1 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
Versitle Sauerkraut
Saurbraten
½ cup dry red wine
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 cups cold water
1 medium sized onion, peeled and thinly sliced
5 black peppercorns and 4 whole juniper berries coarsely crushed with a mortar and pestle
2 small bay leaves
1 tsp salt
4 pounds boneless beef roast, preferably top or bottom round or rump, trimmed of fat
3 tbs lard
½ cup finely chopped onions
½ cup finely chopped carrots
¼ cup finely chopped celery
2 tbs flour
½ cup of water
½ cup gingersnap crumbs, or 1 cup crumbled honey cake [ imported ]
- In a heavy 5 quart casserole, melt the lard over high heat until it begins to sputter.
- Add the meat and brown it on all sides.
- Transfer the meat to a platter and discard all but 2 tbs of the fat from the casserole
- Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the fat and cook them over medium heat, stirring frequently until soft and light brown.
- Sprinkle 2 tbs flour over vegetables and continue stirring and cooking for additional 2 to 3 minutes or until the flour begins to color.
- Pour in 2 cups of the reserved marinade and ½ cup water.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat and return meat to casserole.
- Cover tightly and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours or until meat shows no resistance when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
- Transfer meat to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm while u make the sauce.
- Pour the liquid left from the casserole into a large measuring cup and skim the fat from the surface.
- You will need 2 ½ cups of liquid for the sauce. If u have less add some of the reserved marinade.
- Add the gingersnaps or honey cake crumbs to the liquid in a small saucepan, and cook over medium heat for about ten minutes
- Strain the sauce through a fine sieve making sure to push some of the vegetables through with a wooden spoon.
- Return it to the saucepan, taste for seasoning and let simmer over low heat until ready to serve.
- Traditionally sauerbraten is served with dumplings or boiled potatoes and red cabbage
- In a 2 -3 quart saucepan, combine the wine, vinegar, water, sliced onion, crushed peppercorns and juniper berries, bay leaves, and salt.
- Bring this marinade to a boil over high heat, then remove it and let cool to room temperature.
- Place the beef in a deep stockpot and cover with marinade.
- Marinade should come halfway up the meat, add wine if necessary.
- Cover the pot tightly with foil or plastic and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days, turning the meat over at least 2 a day.
- Remove the meat and pat it completely dry with paper towels.
- Strain the marinade through a sieve set over a bowl and reserve the liquid.
- Discard the spices and onions.
Page 17
Sauerkraut Pt. 1
Sauerkraut plays at least a minor role in the cooking of most countries where cabbage is grown, but in the German cuisine it is a star. German cooks not only serve it, suitably cooked and seasoned, as an accompaniment to meat dishes, but use it in provocative combinations with other foods. Combined with grapes, it becomes a tangy side dish; mixed with pineapple and served in the shell of the fruit, it is both decorative and a surprisingly appetizing addition to a meal. From cabbage seed to finished product, the task of getting sauerkraut to German tables engages thousands of pairs of hands. Cabbage is the principal crop of many farms around Stuttgart, and is sold mainly to large sauerkraut factories, though some of it still goes to housewives who make their own kraut. The technique of making sauerkraut has hardly changed since it was recorded by the ancient Romans, who seem to have acquired it from the Orient. It consists of adding salt to shredded cabbage and then allowing the cabbage to ferment. The method was forgotten by the Europeans until the conquering Tatar hordes, bringing it from China, reintroduced it to Austria in the 13th Century. The Austrians gave sauerkraut its name (literally, sour plant) and passed it along to their neighbors, among whom none welcomed it more warmly than the German
Page 18
Sauerkraut - Pt. 2
Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh sauerkraut
1 tablespoon lard
½ cup finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups cold water
5 whole juniper berries, 6 whole black peppercorns, 2 small bay leaves, ¼ teaspoon caraway seeds and 1 whole allspice, wrapped together in cheesecloth
½ pound boneless smoked pork loin or butt, in 1 piece, or substitute
½ pound Canadian-style bacon in 1 piece
1 large raw potato, peeled
Drain the sauerkraut, wash it thoroughly under cold running water, and let it soak in a pot of cold water for 10 to 20 minutes, depending upon its acidity. A handful at a time, squeeze the sauerkraut vigorously until it is completely dry.
In a heavy 3 to 4-quart casserole or saucepan, melt the lard over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Add the chopped onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are light brown. Add the sauerkraut with a fork. Bury the bag of spices in the sauerkraut and place the pork or bacon on top of it. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to its lowest point, cover the casserole and cook, undisturbed, for 20 minutes.
Grate the raw potato directly into the casserole, and with a fork stir it into the sauerkraut mixture. Cover the casserole tightly, and cook over low heat for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until the sauerkraut has absorbed most of its cooking liquid and the meat is tender when pierced with the tip of a fork. Remove and discard the spices. Taste for seasoning.
To serve, cut the meat into ¼ inch slices. Then transfer the sauerkraut to a large heated platter. Spread the sauerkraut into an even mound and arrange the slices of meat on top.
Page 19
Shinken in Burgunder
½ a precooked smoked ham, butt, or shank end, about 5 to 6 pounds
2 cups water
2 cups red Burgundy or other dry red wine
1 medium sized onion peeled and thinly sliced.
1 medium sized tomato, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 whole clove, crushed with a mortar and pestle
1 small bay leaf
1 tbs butter, softened
1 tbs flour
Preheat oven to 350
With a small sharp knife separate the rind from the ham and place rind into a 1 to 2 quart saucepan.
Trim the ham of all except ¼ inch of fat.
Pour the 2 cups of water over the rind
Bring to a boil and let simmer over low heat uncovered for 20 minutes.
Strain the liquid through a sieve into a bowl and discard the rind.
Pour 1 cup of the liquid into a shallow roasting dish.
Add 1 cup of wine, the onion, tomato, clove and bay leaf.
Place the ham, fat side up, in the pan and bake in the middle of oven for about an hour.
Baste the ham thoroughly with the pan juice every 20 minutes.
The ham is done when it can easily be pierced with a fork.
Set the ham aside on a carving plate for easier serving
Skim and discard all the fat from the pan liquid and stir in the remaining cup of red wine.
Bring to a boil, meanwhile scraping all the brown bits clinging to the sides and bottom of the pan, and boil briskly for a minute or two
In a small bowl, make a paste of the butter and flour, and stir it in bit by bit into the pan
Cook over low heat and let simmer stirring frequently until sauce is smooth and is thickened a bit.
Stain the sauce through a fine sieve into a sauce pan and seasoning to taste.
Serve the sliced ham on a plate with the sauce on top and on the side
Spaetzle
Smoked Pork Ribs
Pork Ribs have a long tradition in the old style world of barbecue, ranking with brisket and pulled pork in the competitions as a true art form.
Like traditional Barbecue, pork ribs should be cooked low and slow with a good dose of smoke. This process will require a smoker of some kind, although you can do it with a kettle charcoal grill. You need a temperature about 200 degrees, smoke and patience. I full rack of ribs can be smoked in about 4 hours but if you have the time try and go the distance. The longer you smoke the more flavor you will get.
The first step to make great pork ribs is to prepare the rack. Let the ribs come up to room temperature, rinse off in cold water and remove the membrane from the back. Some people will say that you don't have to remove the membrane but I feel that it's a must. The membrane blocks the uptake of smoke and creates a barrier to your seasonings.
To remove the membrane, lay the ribs on a flat surface meat side down. Take a sharp knife and begin peeling the membrane from one corner near the bone. I have been told that a lobster fork works great for this. Once you have a good piece peeled back, grab it with a paper towel to get a good grip and begin pulling. If the membrane is intact you shouldn't have too much trouble, but sometimes this can be a little challenging.
With the membrane removed, rinse off the ribs again and pat dry with some paper towels. Now one trick that is used by several barbecue competitors is to coat the ribs in prepared yellow mustard. You don't need to use anything fancy or expensive since the smoking process will remove the mustard flavor anyway. This coating will hold your seasonings in place and also make a nice crust over the surface of the ribs.
If you are of a mind that the rub should be rubbed into the pork ribs then you can place it on first and then carefully apply the mustard. Or you can sprinkle the rub over the mustard, or use a mustard based rub. It's really a matter of preference.
Once the pork ribs are seasoned and the smoker is ready then you are set to go. Personally I use a blend of oak, hickory and a little mesquite in the firebox, but I'm sure with a little experimentation you can come up with the kind of smoke you prefer.
Place the ribs in the smoker and let it go. You want the good smoking temperature in the area about 200 degrees. You can go lower if you plan on doing a long smoke, but I don't recommend going higher.
At this rate the ribs should be cooked through and tender after about 4 hours. Go longer if you can. The longer you smoke at a low temperature the more tender and flavorful the ribs will be. Remember that you need to hit an internal temperature of 165oF before they can be served. Have a meat thermometer ready.
To serve I cut the ribs individually. I find no reason for a finishing sauce but if you are a big fan of sauces and can't imagine serving without sauce then I suggest a thin one that won't overpower the flavor of the ribs.
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Spaetzle
Spaetzle are a traditional flour and egg based homemade pasta in Southern Germany. The name originates from the German word "Spatz", which means "small sparrows".
Spaetzle are very similar to noodles and were originally made by scraping the dough from a wooden board into boiling water with the back of a wide knife or special scraping tool.
Today, however, you can use a Spaetzle press or even a potato ricer.
Recipe
(serves 8, for a main course serves 4)
Ingredients:
500g wheat flour
4-5 eggs
1 tsp salt
1/8-1/4 litre water, depending on type of flour
hot water for tossing the Spätzle
Mix the flour, eggs and salt in a large bowl and then add the water
Moisten a Spätzlesbrett (a wooden board with a handle on one side and a bevelled edge on the other), with water. Spread a small amount of dough on it and scrape with a broad knife thin strips of dough into slightly boiling water.
If you are using a Spätzle press or potato ricer, then you need to fill the press with the dough and press down as per instructions.
While scraping, dip the board and the knife time and time again into boiling water. This makes scraping the dough easier. When the Spätzle rise to the surface, remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and toss them briefly in hot water, so that they won't stick together. Drain well and place them on a pre-heated plate and serve immediately.
Spaetzle can either be served with melted butter and slightly toasted breadcrumbs or with finely sliced, fried onion rings.
Spaetzle also taste excellent if the dough is only prepared with eggs (about 8-9 eggs) instead of water.
Enjoy Spaetzle with a roast meat dish with a sauce or gravy.
