Tag Archives: German Food

German “Hunter’s” Pork Cutlets with a Creamy Mushroom Sauce (Jägerschnitzel)

5 Replies

JagerschnitzelHi, so last night I had a hankerin’ for some good, old-fashioned German comfort food, so I decided to make one of my faves, Jägerschnitzel (right up there with Königsberger Klopse and Falscher Hase!). Jägerschnitzel means “hunter cutlet” in English — don’t ask me why they call it that, because I don’t know. Anyway, I always am sure to feast on this dish at least a couple of times when I’m in Germany, regardless of the season. The dish is so delicious, easy to prepare and worth the calories — hope you’ll try it out sometime this week and let me know what you think!

3 Tbsp butter
1 large onion, diced
1 lb sliced white button mushrooms
2 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp pepper, divided
1 tsp paprika
4 cups beef stock
4 1/2-inch thick pork loin slices (about 1 1/2 lbs, tot.), pounded to 1/4 inch between 2 pieces of plastic wrap
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp heavy cream
3 Tbsp chopped parsley, divided
Spätzle — home-made, or cooked according to package instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Heat butter in a large sauté over medium heat. Once foam subsides, add onions and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and cook until they’ve released their liquid, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and the 1 tsp paprika. Stir constantly for an additional 1 minute. Turn heat to high, and stir in beef stock. Bring to a boil, then cook down until the liquid is reduced by 1 half. Remove from heat and stir in cream and 2 Tbsp parsley. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired (keeping in mind that there’s a bunch of salt and pepper on the cutlets). Set aside.

Sprinkle each cutlet with remaining salt and pepper on each side. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, cook each of the cutlets, one at a time, until they are browned and cooked through (about a minute and a half each) — keep cutlets warm, covered with aluminum foil in oven.

Plate each of the cutlets with a portion of spätzle. Spoon mushroom sauce over each and garnish with remaining chopped parsley and serve.

Serves 4.

 

Leek and Potato Soup with Pearl Barley and a Hint of Nutmeg

2 Replies

Potato_and_Leek_Soup1 (1 of 1)Here’s a hearty fall soup with German roots. It has two of my favorite ingredients:  leeks and nutmeg, which are key to this dish (well, so is the butter). The barley adds a very nice texture and flavor, as well. I’ve had this soup before where it is practically all white because of the broth that was used, but for this recipe, I prefer to use a dark, rich vegetable stock (I used Kitchen Basics). This soup is very easy to make, yet it is very flavorful — I tend to cook recipes with long ingredient lists, but I have to remind myself now and again that simple is elegant and often better! I hope you’ll give this dish a try!

8 cups vegetable stock
1 large leek, finely chopped (white part only)
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 lb red potatoes (about 2 large), peeled and cut into a 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup pearl barley
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or more)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add vegetable stock and stir in leek, salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes.

Stir in potatoes, turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in barley. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 45 minutes. Stir often, so that the barley doesn’t stick to bottom of pot. Stir in butter, and season with additional salt, if desired (I added another 1 tsp salt, which seemed about right). Serve hot, garnishing with parsley and plenty of Parmesan. Fresh, crusty bread is a must with this soup.

Serves 4.

Savory Alsatian Tarte (Tarte Flambée)

6 Replies

Alxastian Tarte1 (1 of 1)While on a business trip this past summer to Frankfurt, I dined on some fantastic Alsatian tartes (Flammkuchen in German, tarte flambée in French). As the name suggests, this tarte has its origins in the Alsace region of France that borders Germany (and was part of Germany in past history), but they are very popular in Frankfurt, as well (and Montréal, where I tasted them for the first time several years ago). I have to say, the Frankfurter version is absolutely delicious, so I did my best to recreate it at home! Rustic and wonderful — here it is…I hope you’ll try it and let me know what you think!

1 1/4-oz packet yeast
1 c warm water
4 oz bacon, finely diced
14 oz flour (weight)
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 1/4 tsp salt, divided
7 oz crème fraîche
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
3 leeks, thinly sliced cross-wise (white part only)
2 oz grated Gruyère cheese
4 green onions, chopped

Preaheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, with a pizza stone on the lowest level.

Stir yeast into warm water and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat bacon in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for about 5 minutes (do not overdo it on the stove top, as bacon will cook further in the oven). Remove bacon to paper towels with a slotted spoon.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, water/yeast mixture, olive oil and 1 tsp salt. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball and place in a bowl coated with cooking spray, tuning once to coat the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm area for 30 minutes.

In a medium bowl, stir together crème fraîche, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper and nutmeg.

Turn dough back onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion into a thin round piece, about 10 or so inches in diameter. Spread 1/4 of the crème fraîche mixture evenly onto each tarte. Repeat with the leeks and Gruyère.

Using a pizza peel, slide tartes onto hot pizza stone (I only had room to cook one at a time). Bake 10 – 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve.

Serves 4.

Beef and Leek Sauce with New Red Potatoes

2 Replies

Beef_leek_Sauce1 (1 of 1)Leeks are fantastic, but I typically cook with them only in winter. Not sure why. I think this sauce however, can be made year round — the large amount of leeks (and nutmeg, and gouda) are what make it! These are some of my favorite ingredients, all combined and cooked together to create this mouth-watering sauce. I served it here with boiled new red potatoes and some rye bread, but you can also serve it over pasta or mashed potatoes. Yum — try something new tonight (like this!)

1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 leeks, halved length-wise, then thinly sliced cross-wise, white part only
1 large onion, diced
1 lb lean ground beef
5 Tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp paprika
1 1/2 c beef stock
1 c grated gouda cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once foam from butter subsides, add leeks and onion. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add beef to leek mixture. Stir to brown and break up meat, about 5 minutes. Add the next 6 ingredients (tomato paste through paprika). Stir 1 minute. Add beef stock. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in gouda cheese. Serve with dollop of sour cream and garnish with parsley.

Serves 4.

 

Veal Croquettes with Mushrooms (Verrückte Omas Merkwürdige Kalbfleisch-Frikadellen)

Leave a reply

Veal_Croquettes1 (1 of 1)I had a bunch of ground veal left over from my last post, so I decided to make veal croquettes (my spin on Viennese Butterschnitzel). Croquettes are typically deep-fried in oil, but here I try to reduce the fat a bit by pan-frying the croquettes in a little oil and butter until crispy. I really like the depth of flavor provided by the lemon and nutmeg (I could add nutmeg to just about anything!). I served the croquettes with steamed asparagus and a fresh caprese salad, which I think went together well. This crazy dish is truly delicious — please try it next weekend and let me know what you think!

1/8 cup skim milk
1/8 cup crème fraîche
2 slices sandwich bread, coarsely torn into pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/4 tsp salt, divided
1/2 ground black pepper, divided
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp finely grated, chopped lemon rind
2 1/2 Tbsp finely chopped chives
1 1/4 lbs ground veal
1/2 cup fine, unseasoned breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp butter
8 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Whisk together milk and crème fraîche in a small bowl. Stir in bread pieces and let stand 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the bread-milk-crème fraîche mixture together with the egg, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, nutmeg, lemon rind, 1 Tbsp chives and veal. Mix with hand until ingredients are well-incorporated. Form into 4 4-inch patties. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Coat patties all over with the breadcrumbs and set aside.

Heat oil and butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Once foam from butter has subsided, gently place the patties in the skillet. cook patties until golden brown, turning once half way through, about 10 minutes in total. Remove patties (time to call them “croquettes”) from skillet to a warm plate and cover loosely with foil.

Add mushrooms, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 black pepper and 1 1/2 Tbsp chives to the skillet. Stir over high heat until mushrooms begin to release water, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer until browned, about 3 more minutes. Serve croquettes, topped with the mushrooms and parsley.

Serves 4.

Gnocchi with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Sage (Gnocchi mit Pfifferlingen und Salbei)

9 Replies

Gnocchi_mit_Pifferlingen_und_Salbei3 (1 of 1)Although this dish seems Italian, it has a strong German accent. The stars are the chanterelles (which are commonly used in Germany) and the sage (which I harvested from my herb garden out back). The crème fraîche in this recipe is also a key ingredient — it’s similar to sour cream, but not as sour. Try not to substitute. The sauce is simple and absolutely delicious! I hope you’ll give this a try!

1 1/2 lbs ready-to-cook gnocchi
1 lb fresh chanterelle mushrooms, (or 2 oz dried, soaked in 4 cups very hot water for 30 minutes), coarsely chopped
2 strips bacon (about 5 oz), finely chopped
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup vegetable, beef or chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt
8 large sage leaves, chopped
3/4 cup crème fraîche
Ground black pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese

Cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Heat bacon in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and let sit on paper towels. With a paper towel, wipe up all but about 1 Tbsp of the bacon drippings from the pan.

Reduce heat to medium, and add mushrooms and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in stock and crème fraîche. Cook for a few minutes, until sauce has thickened slightly. Stir in sage and some ground black pepper, and cook an additional 1 minute. Remove from heat and season with additional salt if desired. Serve over gnocchi and sprinkle portions with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4.

German Meatloaf with Roasted Tomato and Onion Gravy (Falscher Hase)

18 Replies

German_Meatloaf1 (1 of 1)I think I may have mentioned this in previous posts, but I love a good meatloaf, especially on a snowy, cold night like tonight. This wonderful dish, called falscher Hase (fake rabbit), originates in Germany’s eastern regions that were formerly part of the DDR (East Germany). Adopted from my favorite German cookbook, Nadia Hassani’s Spoonfuls of Germany, this meatloaf is homey, but deliciously elegant with the roasted tomato and onion gravy. I like to serve this with steamed new red potatoes tossed in some butter, salt, ground black pepper and chopped parsley. Give this dish a try — I think you’ll like it!

1 slice bread, soaked in 1/4 cup milk for 5 minutes, then excess milk squeezed out
1 slice good quality smoked bacon
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 medium onions, peeled and and quartered
10 oz lean ground beef
10 oz lean ground pork
2 eggs
3 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground caraway seeds
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp ground marjoram
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp ground coriander
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes
14 1/2 oz beef stock
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp flour
Additional chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Dice bacon and saute over medium heat until crisp. Add the diced onion and saute for about 4 or 5 minutes. Remove from heat and spread mixture on paper towels and let cool for a few minutes.

In a large bowl, combine bread that you soaked in milk, bacon and onion mixture, meat, eggs, German_Meatloaf2 (1 of 1)parsley, mustard, paprika, caraway, oregano, nutmeg, cayenne, marjoram, thyme, coriander, salt and black pepper. Mix very well with your hands (add some breadcrumbs if  it seems too moist). Shape into a loaf and place in an ovenproof, lidded casserole. Pour tomato around loaf. Break up the onion quarters and sprinkle around loaf. Pour 1/4 cup stock over it.

Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 40 minutes. Bake until meatloaf is brown, and the vegetables are nicely roasted, gradually adding another 1/2 cup stock.

Remove loaf from casserole and deglaze with the remaining stock. Pour mixture into a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and strain well, discarding solids. Add gravy back to sauce pan.

Whisk together the sour cream and flour, then whisk this into the gravy. Simmer for a few minutes until gravy thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Slice meatloaf into 1/2-inch slices. Pour some gravy over each serving and garnish with chopped parsley.

Serves 6.