German Cooking Today Read online

  4. Melt the remaining butter. Cook the diced mushroom in it for 1–2 minutes and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the soft cheese, then add the breadcrumbs and the spinach and mix together. Season again with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

  5. Sprinkle the inside of the mushroom heads with salt and pepper, spoon a heap of the spinach mixture onto each one and put in a greased casserole. Scatter the Emmental cheese over each one.

  6. Measure 125 ml/4 fl oz (1⁄2 cup) of the reserved spinach cooking liquid, making up the quantity with vegetable stock if necessary. Bring the liquid to the boil with the cream and thicken with the sauce thickener. Season the sauce to taste with salt, pepper and vegetable stock granules and pour into the casserole dish. Put the dish uncovered on a shelf in the oven.

  Top/bottom heat: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 160 °C/325 °F (preheated), Gas mark 4 (preheated),

  Cooking time: 45 minutes.

  Tip: Serve the stuffed mushrooms as a vegetarian entrée with baguette or ciabatta (Italian white bread).

  Served as a starter with tomato slices or some green salad, the stuffed mushrooms are enough for 8–10 servings.

  Variation: Stuffed mushrooms with tomato sauce instead of the cream sauce. Pour one 500 g/18 oz can of puréed tomatoes into the casserole dish and season with salt, pepper and paprika. After cooking, sprinkle the mushrooms with 2 tablespoons chopped basil.

  VEGETABLES

  101 | Celeriac escalopes

  Vegetarian

  Preparation time: about 25 minutes, excluding frying time

  800 g/13⁄4 lb celeriac

  salt

  freshly ground pepper

  4 teaspoons lemon juice

  2 eggs

  100 g/31⁄2 oz (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

  200 g/7 oz breadcrumbs

  3 tablespoons cooking oil, e.g. sunflower oil

  50 g/2 oz (4 tablespoons) butter

  Per serving:

  P: 8 g, F: 21 g, C: 31 g, kJ: 1439, kcal: 344

  1. Peel the celeriac, cut out any bad parts, wash and leave to drain. Cut into slices 5 mm/3⁄16 in thick and sprinkle with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

  2. Whisk the eggs in a deep plate with a fork. Dip the celeriac slices first in flour, then in the egg and finally in the breadcrumbs. Press the breadcrumbs firmly onto the slices.

  3. Heat some of the oil in a frying pan. Fry the celeriac slices a few at a time for about 4 minutes per side until golden yellow. Shortly before the end of the cooking time of each batch add some butter to the pan and melt it.

  Tip: Serve the celeriac as a vegetarian entrée, e.g. with tomato sauce, herb curd cheese and salad.

  Slices of radish may be served, or prepare cut red beet in slices.

  Variation: The celeriac can also be made with different coatings. For these, mix 180 g/61⁄2 oz breadcrumbs with 30 g/1 oz grated Parmesan cheese or 30 g/1 oz finely chopped sunflower seeds.

  VEGETABLES

  102 | Shallots in red wine

  With alcohol

  Preparation time: about 30 minutes

  500 g/18 oz shallots

  25 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) butter

  20 g/3⁄4 oz sugar

  250 ml/8 fl oz (1 cup) red wine

  salt, pepper

  2 teaspoons chopped smooth parsley

  Per serving:

  P: 2 g, F: 5 g, C: 10 g, kJ: 562, kcal: 134

  1. Peel the shallots and halve if necessary. Melt the butter and cook the shallots in it until golden yellow. Scatter the sugar over top and stir until it caramelises.

  2. Add the red wine and cook shallots uncovered over low heat for about 15 minutes. Season the shallots with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with parsley before serving.

  Tip: Serve the shallots with steaks, fried liver or roasts.

  Instead of butter, the shallots can be cooked in 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

  The shallots in red wine will keep for about 1 week in the refrigerator.

  Served cold, they taste good on bread, or they may be part of an appetiser plate.

  Variation: Stir 100 g/31⁄2 oz crème fraîche into the cooked shallots and

  season again to taste.

  VEGETABLES

  103 | Stuffed peppers

  Popular

  Preparation time: about 80 minutes, excluding cooling time

  4 peppers, 150 g/5 oz each

  250 g/9 oz large onions

  500 g/18 oz tomatoes

  4 tablespoons olive oil

  400 g/14 oz minced meat, half beef, half pork

  4 teaspoons tomato purée

  salt

  freshly ground pepper

  about 375 ml/12 fl oz (11⁄2 cups) vegetable stock

  15 g/1⁄2 oz (2 tablespoons) plain (all-purpose) flour

  4 tablespoons whipping cream

  salt

  freshly ground pepper

  dried chopped oregano

  some sugar

  Per serving:

  P: 23 g, F: 37 g, C: 14 g, kJ: 1992, kcal: 475

  1. Wash the peppers and dry them. Cut off and reserve the stalk end of each pepper to make a “lid”. Remove the seeds as well as the white pith inside and rinse the peppers. Peel and chop the onions. Wash the tomatoes, dry and remove the stalks. Cut 3 tomatoes in half, remove the cores and dice.

  2. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan. Gently cook half the chopped onions in it. Add the minced meat and brown while stirring, breaking up any lumps with a fork.

  3. Mix in the diced tomatoes and half the tomato purée, season with salt and pepper and leave to cool. Then fill the prepared peppers with the mixture. Put the “lid” back on each pepper.

  4. Cut the remaining tomatoes into pieces. Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan. Add the remaining chopped onions and cook gently. Put the peppers next to each other in the pan. Add the tomato pieces and 375 ml/12 fl oz (11⁄2 cups) vegetable stock. Cook the peppers covered over low heat for about 50 minutes. Then put the peppers on a preheated dish.

  5. For the sauce, pour the cooking liquid with the tomato pieces and onions through a sieve. Measure off 375 ml/12 fl oz (11⁄2 cups), adding vegetable stock to make up the quantity if necessary. Stir in the remaining tomato purée and bring all to the boil. Mix the flour with the cream and stir into the cooking liquid little by little. Cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  6. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, oregano and sugar and serve with the stuffed peppers.

  Accompaniment: Rice, boiled potatoes or potatoes boiled in their skins, and a mixed green salad.

  Variation: Peppers stuffed with chicken or turkey. Replace the minced meat with 400 g/14 oz chopped chicken or turkey breast fillets. Rinse the fillets under running cold water, pat dry, cut into very fine dice (or cut into large dice and purée with the slicing attachment of the hand mixer). Then continue as described above. Season the sauce with 2 tablespoons chopped parsley instead of oregano.

  VEGETABLES

  104 | Cooked peppers

  Easy

  Preparation time: about 35 minutes

  1 kg/21⁄4 lb peppers (red, green and yellow)

  2 onions

  3 cloves garlic

  4 tablespoons olive oil

  salt

  1 pinch sugar

  freshly ground pepper

  2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

  4 teaspoons chopped parsley

  Per serving:

  P: 3 g, F: 15 g, C: 8 g, kJ: 757, kcal: 181

  1. Cut the peppers in half. Remove the stalks and seeds as well as the white pith inside. Wash the peppers and cut into thin strips or dice. Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic.

  2. Heat the oil in a pan. Gently cook the chopped onion and garlic in it while stirring. Add the peppers, season with salt, sugar, pepper and vinegar and cook covered over low heat for about 15 minutes. Season the peppers again to taste.

  3. If too much liquid collects in the pan, remove the vege
tables with a skimming ladle and put in a preheated bowl. Cook the liquid uncovered for a few minutes more to reduce the quantity and pour over the peppers.

  4. Sprinkle the peppers with parsley and serve.

  Tip: The peppers are excellent with fried or steamed fish fillets, or with roast chicken or turkey.

  Variation 1: Peppers and tomatoes. Use only about 500 g/18 oz peppers and prepare as described above. While they are cooking wash 500 g/18 oz tomatoes, leave to drain and cut them crossways. Scald briefly in boiling water and dip into cold water. Peel the tomatoes, remove the stalks and cut the tomatoes into quarters. Add them to the pepper mixture about 3 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Season the vegetables to taste and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped basil instead of the parsley. Serve hot or cold with garlic curd cheese.

  Variation 2: Peppers and leeks. Use only about 700 g/11⁄2 lb peppers and replace the onions with 300 g/10 oz leeks. Remove the outer leaves of the leeks and cut off the root ends and dark green leaves. Cut the leeks in half lengthways and wash thoroughly. Let dry and cut crossways to make strips. Gently cook the leek and then continue as described above.

  Variation 3: Peppers and mushrooms. Use only about 500 g/18 oz peppers. Take 500 g/18 oz mushrooms, cut off the stalks and remove any bad parts, wipe clean with kitchen paper, rinse if necessary, pat dry and cut into slices. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil, add the mushroom slices and brown briefly over high heat, season with salt and remove from the pan. Cook the peppers as described above, stir in the mushrooms at the end of the cooking time and heat through.

  VEGETABLES

  105 | Hunter’s cabbage

  Good for preparing in advance

  Preparation time: about 45 minutes

  1 kg/21⁄4 lb cabbage

  1 small onion

  100 g/31⁄2 oz streaky bacon

  4 teaspoons cooking oil, e.g. sunflower oil

  250 ml/8 fl oz (1 cup) vegetable stock

  salt, pepper

  herb vinegar

  1 pinch sugar

  Per serving:

  P: 7 g, F: 7 g, C: 9 g, kJ: 560, kcal: 134

  1. Remove the outer wilted leaves from the cabbage, cut the cabbage into quarters, rinse, leave to dry, cut out the stalk and cut the cabbage into fine strips. Peel and chop the onion. Cut the bacon into dice.

  2. Heat the oil in a pan and add the diced bacon. Then add the chopped onion and cook gently while stirring. Then add the cabbage strips and continue cooking gently, stirring from time to time.

  3. Add the vegetable stock, season the cabbage with salt and pepper and cook covered over low heat for about 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, vinegar and sugar.

  Tip: Hunter’s cabbage is an excellent accompaniment for braised pork with boiled potatoes. Instead of ordinary cabbage, hunter’s cabbage may be made with Savoy cabbage, pointed cabbage or Chinese cabbage. With pointed or Chinese cabbage, reduce the cooking time to 10–15 minutes.

  VEGETABLES

  106 | Sauerkraut

  Classic

  Preparation time: about 60 minutes

  4 onions, 1 apple

  2 tablespoons cooking oil, e.g. sunflower oil

  750 g/11⁄2 lb sauerkraut

  125 ml/4 fl oz (1⁄2 cup) water or white wine

  1 bay leaf

  4 juniper berries

  6 peppercorns

  salt, sugar, pepper

  Per serving:

  P: 3 g, F: 8 g, C: 7 g, kJ: 514, kcal: 123

  1. Peel and chop the onions. Wash the apple, peel, quarter, core and cut into slices.

  2. Heat the oil in a pan. Gently cook the chopped onion. Pull the sauerkraut loosely apart and add the water or white wine. Put the apple slices on the sauerkraut.

  3. Add the bay leaf, juniper berries and peppercorns, season with salt and cook the sauerkraut covered over low heat for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add some liquid at intervals if necessary. Season the sauerkraut with salt, sugar and pepper.

  Tip: Serve the sauerkraut with cured rib of pork Kassel style and potato purée.

  Sauerkraut becomes thicker if a grated raw potato is added in the last 10 minutes of cooking.

  If desired, replace the apple with 150 g/5 oz pineapple pieces (from the can, drained from the juice). Add some pineapple juice to the sauerkraut to taste.

  VEGETABLES

  107 | Cabbage beef olives

  Suitable for freezing

  Preparation time: about 90 minutes

  salt

  1 head Savoy or white cabbage, about 1.5 kg/31⁄4 lb

  1 day-old roll

  1 onion

  1 medium egg

  about 1 teaspoon medium mustard

  375 g/13 oz minced beef

  freshly ground pepper

  3 tablespoons cooking oil, e.g. sunflower oil

  250 ml/8 fl oz (1 cup) vegetable stock

  20 g/3⁄4 oz (3 tablespoons) plain (allpurpose) flour

  4 teaspoons cold water

  In addition:

  kitchen string or cocktail sticks

  Per serving:

  P: 25 g, F: 25 g, C: 13 g, kJ: 1570, kcal: 375

  1. Bring plenty of water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add salt at the rate of 1 teaspoon salt per 1 litre/13⁄4 pints (41⁄2 cups) water. Meanwhile, remove the outer wilted leaves from the Savoy or white cabbage, rinse the cabbage and cut out a wedge shape from the stalk. Cook the cabbage in the boiling salted water until the outer leaves come off. Repeat this process until you have about 12 large leaves that are fairly soft. Let the leaves drain, pat dry with kitchen paper and cut off the fat leaf-ribs.

  2. For the filling, soak the roll in cold water. Peel and chop the onion. Squeeze the water firmly from the roll, then mix the roll with the chopped onion, egg and mustard. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

  3. For each olive put 2–3 large cabbage leaves on top of each other and put part of the filling on it. Turn up the leaves at the sides and roll them up. Secure the wrapped beef olives with kitchen string or with cocktail sticks.

  4. Heat the oil in a pan. Brown the beef olives on all sides. Add the vegetable stock and cook the beef olives covered over low heat for about 45 minutes, turning them occasionally.

  5. When the beef olives are done, remove the kitchen string or cocktail sticks and put them on a preheated plate.

  6. Stir the flour and water together. Bring the cooking liquid to the boil, stir in the flour mixture with a whisk, bring to the boil again and cook gently for about 5 minutes. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper and serve with the beef olives.

  Accompaniment: Boiled potatoes, potato purée, breadcrumb dumplings or potato dumplings.

  Tip: Use the remaining cabbage for Savoy cabbage, hunter’s cabbage, or for a soup or a stew.

  Variation 1: Add 1–2 teaspoons of curry powder to the filling and season the sauce strongly with curry powder and cayenne pepper.

  Variation 2: Instead of the day-old roll, mix 50 g/2 oz cooked rice with the chopped meat.

  VEGETABLES

  108 | Brussels sprouts

  Easy

  Preparation time: about 30 minutes

  1 kg/21⁄4 lb Brussels sprouts

  salt

  40 g/11⁄2 oz butter

  grated nutmeg

  Per serving:

  P: 9 g, F: 9 g, C: 6 g, kJ: 607, kcal: 145

  1. Bring some water to the boil in a saucepan. Remove any damaged outer leaves from the Brussels sprouts, cut the ends off the stalks, cut a cross in the stalk ends, wash and leave to drain.

  2. Add the Brussels sprouts and salt at the rate of 1 teaspoon salt to 1 litre/13⁄4 pints (41⁄2 cups) cooking water, bring to the boil and cook covered over low heat for about 15 minutes.

  3. When they are done, put the Brussels sprouts in a colander and leave to drain. Melt the butter, toss the Brussels sprouts in it and season with salt and nutmeg.

  Tip: Serve Brussels sprouts with roast meat such as game, pork or goose. If using frozen B
russels sprouts, 800–900 g/13⁄4–2 lb are needed for 4 servings. Cook the frozen sprouts as described above.

  VEGETABLES

  109 | Red cabbage

  Suitable for freezing

  Preparation time: about 75 minutes

  1 kg/21⁄4 lb red cabbage

  375 g/13 oz sharp apples, e.g. Cox, 2 onions

  50 g/2 oz lard or 3 table spoons cooking oil

  1 bay leaf, 3 cloves

  3 juniper berries

  5 allspice berries

  salt, pepper, sugar

  4 teaspoons red wine vinegar

  2 tablespoons red currant jelly

  125 ml/4 fl oz (1⁄2 cup) water

  Per serving:

  P: 3 g, F: 13 g, C: 24 g, kJ: 953, kcal: 228

  1. Remove the outer wilted leaves from the red cabbage, rinse the cabbage, cut into quarters, rinse, leave to drain and cut out the stalk. Slice the cabbage very finely. Wash the apples, peel, cut in quarters, remove the cores and cut into small pieces. Peel and chop the onions.

  2. Heat the lard or oil in a pan. Gently cook the diced onion while stirring. Add the sliced cabbage and apple pieces, then continue cooking gently.

  3. Add the bay leaf, cloves, juniper berries, allspice berries, salt, peppers, sugar, vinegar, red currant jelly and water. Cook the red cabbage covered over low heat for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season the red cabbage to taste with salt and sugar.

  Tip: It is a good idea to prepare red cabbage in larger quantities and freeze it divided into servings. Red cabbage should still have some “bite”, so it should not be overcooked. Instead of water, red cabbage can be cooked in the same quantity of red or white wine, and the red currant jelly can be replaced with 2 tablespoons stewed cranberries.

  VEGETABLES

  110 | Ceps

  A little more expensive

  Preparation time: about 30 minutes

  500 g/18 oz ceps

  1 clove garlic

  150 g/5 oz tomatoes