GERMAN CUISINE

THIS WEEK WILL BE EVERYTHING GERMAN.

German Pasta Salad Recipe

8 oz Medium egg noodles
1/3 c Firmly packed light brown - sugar
1/4 c Olive or vegetable oil
1/4 c Dijon-style mustard
2 tb White vinegar
2 ts Caraway seeds
1/2 lb Deli corned beef, - cut into strips
4 c Packaged cabbage and carrot - coleslaw mix
1 oz Shredded Swiss cheese

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain, rinse, drain again and place in a large bowl. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, oil, mustard, vinegar, and caraway seeds over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until warmed Served warm or cold.

German Hot Potato Salad Recipe

6 Slices of bacon
2 tb Cornstarch
1/4 c Water
1 c Chopped onion
3/4 c Diced celery
2 ts Salt
1 ts Granulated sugar
1/8 ts Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c Cider vinegar
6 c Red-skinned potatoes
6 ea Large pimento-stuffed green olives

Potatoes should be firm, cooked, peeled, diced and still hot. Fry bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove the bacon, drain on paper towels, then crumble; reserving the bacon fat. Dissolve cornstarch in water. Saute onion and celery in the reserved bacon fat over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add salt, sugar, pepper and dissolved cornstarch to the skillet. Next, add vinegar and bring to a boil over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the hot potatoes and crumbled bacon, stirring gently. Serve hot, garnished with the sliced stuffed olives.

German Cabbage Soup Recipe

4 Slices Bacon; Thick, Diced
1 Head Green cabbage; shredded
2 Onions; Sliced
1/2 sm Rutabaga*; Sliced
2 Carrots*; Diced
2 Potatoes; Cubed
4 c Chicken Stock Or Bouillon
2 c Water
6 Sprigs Parsley *
1 Bay Leaf *

GARNISH

1/4 c Parmesan Cheese; Grated

  • The 6 sprigs of parsley and 1 bay leaf should be tied together with a thread.

In a 6-quart saucepan or pot, combine all ingredients except salt, pepper and cheese. Simmer partially covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Discard the parsley bundle; season to taste. Pour into hot soup plates and garnish with cheese.

German Kartoffelsuppe - Potato Soup Recipe

1 Medium onion, sliced
1/4 c Butter
3 Medium leeks (white part on)
6 medium potatoes
1 Ham bone, any size
1/4 ts Dried thyme leaves
6 c Chicken or beef stock or water
1/2 pt Heavy cream
Salt and white pepper to taste
Croutons

Brown onions to a light golden color in butter in a saucepan. Clean leeks well and slice. Peel potatoes and slice. Add leeks, potatoes, ham bone, thyme and stock (or water) to onion. Cover and simmer until potatoes are very soft. Remove ham bone, discard. Cool potato/leek mixture slightly. Puree in a food processor or blender and return to pot. Add cream and cook a few minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with croutons.

German Leberknoedel / Liver Dumplings Recipe

1/2 lb Beef Liver; ground
1 Medium onion; minced
2 tb Butter
1/4 lb Raw spinach
2 Eggs; well beaten
2 tb Parsley; chopped
1 tb Flour

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Shape into small balls. Drop into boiling soup and cook for 5 minutes.

German Sauerbraten Recipe

4 lb Beef rump, Sirloin tip, or Round bone chuck, boneless
1 1/2 c Vinegar
1 c COCA-COLA
3/4 c Water
3 Onions, sliced
2 Stalks celery, sliced
2 Carrots, sliced
10 whole black peppercorns
10 whole cloves garlic
3 Bay leaves
2 tb Sugar
1 1/2 ts Salt
Flour
3 tb Oil or shortening

GRAVY

3 c Drippings plus strained Marinade
5 tb Flour
5 tb Ginger snap crumbs

2 to 4 days before serving, wipe the meat with a damp cloth, then place in a large plastic bag. In a large bowl, throuoghly combine the vinegar, Coca-Cola, water, onions, celery, carrots, pepper, cloves, bay leaves, sugar, and salt and pour over meat. Fasten bag tightly and lay flat in a 13x9-inch pan. Refrigerate, turning bag each day. (If you like a sour sauerbraten, let meat marinate 4 days.)

When ready to cook, remove meat (saving marinade) and dry well. Rub the surface lightly with flour. In Dutch oven, heat oil or shortening and slowly brown the meat well on all sides. Add 1 cup of the marinade liquid plus some of the vegetables and bay leaves. Cover tightly and simmer on surface heat or in a preheat, 350F oven for 3 to 4 hours until the meat is fork-tender. If needed, add more marinade during cooking to keep at least 1/2-inch liquid in the Dutch oven. Remove the meat and keep warm until ready to slice. Into a large measuring cup, strain the drippings. Add several ice cubes and let stand a few minutes until the fat separates out. Remove fat, then make gravy. Makes 8 servings.

TO MAKE THE GRAVY: In the Dutch oven, combine the gravy ingredients, stir and cook about 5 minutes over medium heat until gravy is thickened. Taste for seasonings. Makes 3 cups of gravy.

German-Style Stuffed Pork Recipe

1 (1 pound) pork tenderloin, -trimmed of fat
1/4 c Raisins
1 c Light beer
2 tb Cider vinegar
1/2 c Soft pumpernickel bread -crumbs
1/4 ts Grated orange peel
2 Coves garlic, minced
2 tb Brown sugar
1/4 ts Salt
1/4 ts Pepper
1/8 ts Ground cinnamon

Cut a lengthwise slit down center of tenderloin 2/3 of the way through the meat. Place tenderloin between 2 sheets of wax paper, and flatten to 1/4 inch thickness. Combine tenderloin and next 3 ingredients in baking dish. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Combine bread crumbs, orange rind, and garlic; cover and let stand 4 hours. Remove tenderloin from marinade; strain marinade, reserving raisins. Discard marinade. Add raisins to bread crumb mixture. Combine brown sugar and next 3 ingredients; rub over both sides tenderloin. Spread breadcrumbs mixture over tenderloin to within 1/2 inch from edges. Roll up tenderloin; jellyroll fashion; starting at narrow end. Tie securely with heavy string at 2-inch intervals. Place on rack in shallow roasting pan. Bake at 400F for 55 minutes. 4 servings.

German Onion Pie Recipe

4 sl Bacon; thick, diced
2 c Onions, yellow; chopped
2 Eggs; well beaten
1 c Sour cream
1 tb Flour, all-purpose
1/2 ts Salt
1/4 ts Pepper, black
1 Pie shell, 9"; unbaked

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Saute’ the bacon just until clear. Drain most of the fat from the pan. Add the onions and saute’ until they are clear. Do not brown them. Set aside and cool. Beat the eggs and sour cream together in a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle the flour over the top and beat it in. Stir in the salt and pepper.

Prick the bottom of the pie shell several times with a fork. Spread the onions and bacon over the dough in the pie pan. Pour the sour cream mixture over the top. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake for another 15 minutes or until pie is nicely browned. Serve hot.

German Potato Pancakes Recipe

6 lg Potatoes – mashed
2 Well-beaten Eggs
1 1/2 tb Flour
1/4 ts Baking powder
1 1/2 ts Salt
1 sm Grated onion

Mix above ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls into 1/4 inch cooking oil. Turn to brown on both sides. This makes about 12 (3 inch) cakes. Good served with applesauce.

German Onion Pie
(Zweibelkuchen)

4 thick slices of bacon, diced
2 cups peeled and chopped yellow onion
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sour cream
1 tblsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 9-inch pie shell, unbaked

Preheat oven to 400 degrees f

Saute bacon. Drain most of the fat from the pan. Add the onions and saute
until clear. Do not brown. Set aside to cool.

Beat the eggs and sour cream together in a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle the
flour over the top and beat it in. Stir in the salt and pepper.

Prick the bottom of the pie shell several times with a fork. Spread the
onions and bacon over the bottom of the pie shell. Pour the sour cream
mixture over the top.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees f and bake for another 15 minutes or until pie is nicely browned. Serve hot!

Both sets of grandparents came over from germany, this was a “must have” for all our birthdays. j

German Chocolate Cake

        (3 layers)

        4 oz german sweet chocolate   
        1/2 cup boiling water         
        1 cup butter                  
        2 cups sugar                  
        4 egg yolks                   
        4 egg whites, stiffly beaten
        1 tsp vanilla
        2 1/2 cups flour
        1 tsp baking soda
        1/2 tsp salt
        1 cup buttermilk

        Melt chocolate in boiling water.  Cream butter and sugar until
        fluffy, add egg yolks, vanilla, and chocolate. Add dry ingredients
        alternately with buttermilk.  Fold in egg whites.  Pour into
        three 9" pans, lined on bottoms with wax paper.  Bake at 350 for
        30-35 minutes.  Frost tops with Coconut Pecan Frosting, leaving
        sides unfrosted.


        Coconut Pecan Filling and Frosting 

        1 cup evaporated milk
        1 cup sugar
        3 egg yolks
        1/2 cup butter
        1 tsp vanilla
        1 1/3 cup coconut
        1 cup chopped pecans

        Combine all except coconut and pecans in a saucepan.  Cook 
        over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 12 minutes.
        When mixture thickens, remove from heat.  Stir in coconut
        and pecans.  Cool until spreadable.

This recipe has been handed down over generations - one of the family favourites!

Cabbage Rolls

2 cups cooked rice
one pound ground pork hamburger
3 pounds ground beef hamburger
3-4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 small onion diced

Mix all ingredients together. Place spoonfulls (depending on the size of your cabbage leaf) of mixture onto a sour cabbage leaf and roll, tucking the edges in as you go. Place in a large pot. Pour 1 large can of tomatoes over rolls, add water to cover all rolls. Cover, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 1/2 to 3/4 of an hour.

Makes 20 to 30 rolls depending on the cabbage head.

If you cannot find sour cabbage, you can use regular cabbage, remove the core and steam first, so that the leaves are more flexible. Then, when cooking the rolls, add one can of sauerkraut to the pot for added flavour.

Deutsche Kartoffel-Brötchen (Potato Rolls)

1 pound Russet potatoes (about 2 medium)
1 package dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 cups lukewarm water
8 to 9 cups flour
Salt
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoon poppy seeds

Cook unpeeled potatoes in water to cover. When
tender, drain, cool and peel. Set aside.
Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup lukewarm water.
Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups water. Place 8 cups
flour in a bowl and make a well in the center. Sprinkle
2 teaspons salt over the flour. Pour in yeast mixture
and little by little incoprporate the flour into the
liquids. Mix until the dough forms a ball, adding more
flour if necessary. Allow to rest for about 15 minutes.
Press the cooked potatoes though a rice and add to
the prepared dough. Vigorously knead the two
together until well blended. Allow dough to rest for 30
minutes in a warm draft-free place.
Punch the dough down, and knead once more. Divide
into 20 portions. Knead each portion once or twice on
a lightly floured board, then neatly form each into a
smooth round ball, tucking the sides under and
pinching together. Grease a baking sheet, dust with
flour, and lay the rolls next to each other with their
sides lightly touching. Cover with a clean dry towel
and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
Mix egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water. Brush each roll
lightly. Mix the poppy seeds with a dash of salt and
sprinkle over top of each roll.
Bake at 450 degress about 30 minutes. Allow to cool
for 20 minutes before serving. Makes 20 rolls.

Kielbasa and Cabbage

1/2 small cabbage, shredded (about 1 lb)
1 1/2 lbs. kielbasa sausage, cut into 1 1/2 in. slices
1 t. caraway seeds
3/4 t. seasoned salt
1/4 cup commercial Italian Salad Dressing

Combine all of the ingredients in a large deep microwave safe dish or large glass mixing bowl. Cover with heavy-duty plastic wrap; fold back a small corner of wrap to allow steam to escape. Microwave on HIGH 12 minutes or until cabbage is tender, stirring once. Drain and serve immediately. 4 Servings.

Serve with potato salad, sliced beets and pumpernickel bread.

Kuchen

Dough

1 package active dry yeast or 1 cake compressed.
1/4 cup warm water
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
3 cups sifted flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground mace
grated rind of 1/2 lemon

Sprinkle dry yeast or crumble cake yeast into warm water (105 to 115 degrees) for dry yeast use lukewarm water (80 to 90 degrees)For compressed. Let stand for a few minutes, then stir untill disolved. In a seperate bowl with electric mixer beat egg yolks and whole eggs untill thick and lemon colored: gradually add in the sugar. Scald the mild and melt the butter in it: cool to luckewarm. Add 1 cup of the flour and the yeast to the egg mixture beat well. Add the milk, salt,mace,grated lemon rind and remainning flour, beat for 5 mins. cover let rise in a warm place untill doubled in bulk. Pour into 2, 9 inch buttered or greased cake pans or into one pizza pan (my moms preference)making the dough about half its bulk now let rise again untill doubled again cover with topping (recipie will follow) bake in a preheated oven (350 degrees) for 20 to 25 minutes

Sour Cream Topping

2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup sugar (suit your taste)
1 cup marmalade (or try your favorite jam or jelly)

mix all ingrediants in a bowl and spread over kuchen prior to baking
or top with glaze after baking:

Glaze:
1 pkg. glaze or 2 tsp. cornstarch
3/4 c. sugar
1 c. fruit juice or water
Mix glaze and sugar, stir in juice. Bring to boil and pour over fruit on kuchen. If cornstarch is used, cook until thickened.

Blitzkuchen mit Apfeln (Apple Cake)

6 Apples; Medium, Tart
3 tb Sugar
3/4 c Sugar
1/2 Lemon, Juiced And Peel Grated
1 1/2 c Flour; Unbleached
1 tb Rum
1 tb Butter; To Grease Cake Pan
3 tb Confectioners’ Sugar
2 Lemons; Medium, Juiced
3 tb Butter
2 Egg Yolks; Large, Divided *
1 ts Baking Powder
3/4 c Milk
2 Egg Whites; Large
1 ts Vegetable Oil

  • Do not put the egg yolks together as they will be used
    individually.

Peel apples, cut in half and core. Cut decorative lengthwise
slits in apples, about 1/2-inch deep. Sprinkle with lemon juice and
sugar. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar together. One at a time,
beat in egg yolks. Gradually beat in lemon juice and grated peel.
Sift baking powder and flour together. Gradually add to batter.
Blend in milk and rum. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.
Fold into batter. Generously grease a springform pan. Pour in
batter and top with apple halves. Brush apples with oil. Bake in a
preheated 350 degree F. oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from pan
and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.

German Drop Donuts (Tropfkrapfen)
Makes 3 dozen

1/4 cup soft butter
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 whole egg, beaten
4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
powdered sugar

Cream the butter and sugar. Stir in egg yolks and whole egg. Blend. In a separate bowl sift all dry ingredients except powdered sugar. Add to creamed mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Stir to mix all ingredients. Cook by dropping spoonfuls of dough into 375 degree F deep fat. Fry a few at a time, to keep fat temperature constant. Turn to brown on all sides. Drain on paper towel. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

BOOYAH - Chicken Soup

1 whole chicken
2 large onions, cut in wedges
4 large carrots, cut in 1-inch pieces
1/2 bunch celery, cut in 1-inch chunks
3 large potatoes, cut in 1-inch chunks
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon pepper
1 to 2 cups egg noodles

Place whole chicken in a large kettle and pour in a gallon or more water to cover well. Add onion wedges and bring to a boil. Boil chicken 1 hour or until tender and about to fall from the bone. Lift chicken from broth with tongs or large forks and cool. Reduce heat under broth. De-bone chicken, cutting into large chunks where necessary. Return chicken to broth and add carrots, celery and potatoes. Bring broth back to a boil, season to taste with salt and pepper and cook 1 hour or longer. About 20 minutes before serving, add noodles and boil until noodles are tender. Serves 10.

GERMAN SCHNITTBOHNENSALAT (Green Bean Salad)

1 lb. fresh green beans, french cut
Boiling salted water
1/4 cup stock (reserved from boiling green beans)
3 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried dill seed
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 pound bacon fried crisp and chopped

Cook beans in boiling salted water until just tender. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and drain off the rest. Prepare sauce by combining vinegar, oil, reserved vegetable stock, onions, dill, and sugar; stir until blended. Pour mixture over beans; marinate several hours before serving. Sprinkle with crisp bacon.

Serves 4.