German Cooking Today Read online

  BAKED DISHES

  156 | Cereal and vegetable gratin

  Vegetarian

  Preparation time: about 60 minutes

  800 g/13⁄4 lb cauliflower

  1 bunch spring onions

  150 g/5 oz celeriac

  200 g/7 oz carrots

  2 onions

  40 g/11⁄2 oz butter or margarine

  200 g/7 oz mixed cereal grains

  1⁄2 teaspoon dried, chopped thyme

  1 teaspoon mustard seeds salt

  freshly ground pepper

  400 ml/14 fl oz (13⁄4 cups) vegetable stock

  500 ml/17 fl oz (21⁄4 cups) water

  4 teaspoons chopped parsley or chervil

  200 g/7 oz sour cream

  3 tablespoons milk

  50 g/2 oz grated medium mature Gouda cheese

  30 g/1 oz grated Parmesan cheese

  Per serving:

  P: 18 g, F: 27 g, C: 49 g, kJ: 2154, kcal: 512

  1. Remove the leaves from the cauliflower and trim off any black spots on the florets. Cut off the stump and divide into florets. Cut off the root ends of the spring onions and remove the dark green leaves. Wash the spring onions, drain them and cut into pieces 3 cm/11⁄4 in long.

  2. Peel the celeriac and cut out any bad parts. Peel the carrots and cut off the green leaves and tips. Wash the celeriac and carrots, drain and cut into small dice. Peel and chop the onions.

  3. Melt the butter or margarine in a pan. Add the mixed cereals and fry while stirring continuously. Add the thyme, mustard seeds, diced carrots, celeriac and onions and season with salt and pepper. Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to the boil, cover and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven.

  4. Meanwhile bring the water to the boil. Add 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and the cauliflower florets, cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a sieve, run under cold running water and drain.

  5. Stir the parsley or chervil into the cereal mixture and put in a shallow gratin dish. Arrange the cauliflower florets and cut spring onions on top.

  6. Mix together the sour cream and milk and pour over the vegetables in the gratin dish. Sprinkle the two cheeses on top. Bake uncovered in the oven.

  Top/bottom heat: about 200 °C/400 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated), Gas mark 6 (preheated),

  Cooking time: about 25 minutes.

  Tip: Serve the gratin with a green salad. It is also delicious served with fried meat or fish, in which case it will serve 6–8.

  Variation 1: The same amount of brown rice can be used instead of mixed cereals, making the gratin as described above.

  Variation 2: The spring onions may be replaced with 200 g/7 oz green beans. Top and tail the beans, remove any strings, and break or cut into two or three pieces. Precook the beans with the cauliflower florets and make the gratin as described above.

  ADVICE

  Egg & curd cheese dishes

  Eggs

  Eggs are not only full of valuable nutrients but they are also very reasonably priced and extremely versatile. When eggs are mentioned in recipes, they are always chicken’s eggs.

  The following information can be found on egg boxes:

  • Grade, size and number of eggs in the box

  • Sell-by date

  • Best-before date

  • The advice to “keep refrigerated after purchase”

  The grade (A, B and C) refers to the freshness and intactness of the eggs. Only class A eggs are available for sale to the public.

  The size refers to the weight of individual eggs:

  XL (very large): 73 g and over L (large): 63 g up to under 73 g M (medium): 53 g up to under 63 g

  S (small): under 53 g

  Sometimes the best-before date is printed on each individual egg.

  Freshness test

  The air pocket at the blunt end of an egg increases with the age of the egg because the water contained in the egg evaporates during storage. In addition, the egg white becomes thinner. These aging processes are accelerated when the storage temperature is too high and the humidity is insufficient. This is why eggs should always be stored in the refrigerator.

  The floating test

  1 A fresh egg remains at the bottom. The egg white is firm around the egg yolk and the egg yolk is round.

  2 A 7-day old egg floats slightly upright. The egg white is runnier and less firm.

  3 A 3-week old egg begins to float. The egg white is watery and the egg yolk is flat.

  Separating eggs

  Tap the egg on the edge of the bowl, break the shell open and slide the egg yolk from one shell half to the other, catching the egg white in a bowl placed underneath.

  This process is even easier if an egg separator is used. The egg white runs through a groove while the egg yolk remains in the hollow.

  Stiffly beaten egg white

  Stiffly beaten egg white is used as a raising agent in many recipes, for example in soufflés, gratins, puddings, custard, cakes and flans.

  • The fresher the egg white, the easier it will be to beat it stiffly.

  • Put the chilled egg white in a clean, fat-free bowl and beat it stiffly using a handheld mixer with a whisk attachment or just an ordinary whisk (any fat in the bowl or small particles of egg yolk will prevent the egg white from stiffening).

  • Beaten egg white is considered stiff when the cut of a knife remains visible.

  • When adding stiffly beaten egg white to other ingredients, do not stir it in but fold it in gently. The air which has been beaten in would escape and the consistency of the food would become too solid.

  • If fatty ingredients are add to the beaten egg white, it is important to fold them in very carefully and not stir them in.

  • Stiffly beaten egg white must be used immediately because it becomes runny if allowed to stand too long.

  Important tips:

  • If they are not stored properly, eggs are very susceptible to salmonella, which causes food poisoning. This is why eggs should always be stored in a refrigerator at a temperature of 8°-10 °C/ 46–50 °F.

  • Use only very fresh eggs which should be no more than 5 days old (read the laying date on the egg!) in recipes which require the use of raw eggs. Keep the prepared dish in the refrig erator and eat within 24 hours.

  • If the shell is damaged, the egg should be cooked through before it is eaten.

  Curd cheese

  Curd cheese is a fresh cheese (fromage frais or unmatured cheese) made from pasteurised skimmed milk by curdling it with lactic acid.

  EGG & CURD CHEESE DISHES

  157 | Omelette with mushroom filling

  Good value (2 servings)

  Preparation time: about 60 minutes

  For the filling:

  400 g/14 oz mushrooms

  1 onion

  50 g/2 oz streaky bacon

  4 teaspoons cooking oil, e.g. sunflower oil or 20 g/3⁄4 oz (11⁄2 tablespoons) clarified butter

  salt

  freshly ground pepper

  50 ml /11⁄2 fl oz (3 table spoons) whipping cream

  4 teaspoons chopped parsley

  For the omelette:

  6 medium eggs

  1 pinch salt

  1 pinch paprika

  2 tablespoons cooking oil, e.g. sunflower oil or 30 g/1 oz (2 tablespoons) clarified butter

  Per serving:

  P: 35 g, F: 54 g, C: 5 g, kJ: 2623, kcal: 626

  1. For the mushroom filling, cut off the stalk ends and any bad parts, rub the mushrooms with kitchen paper, rinse if necessary, pat dry and cut into slices. Peel and chop the onion. Dice the bacon.

  2. Heat the oil or clarified butter in a pan. Cook the diced bacon to release the fat. Add the chopped onion and mushroom slices and cook briefly. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 8 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

  3. Mix in the cream, season again to taste with salt and pepper, mix in the parsley and keep the filling warm.r />
  4. Mix the eggs for the omelette with salt and paprika.

  5. Heat half the oil or clarified butter in a non-stick pan, 22–24 cm/81⁄2–91⁄2 in diameter. Add half the egg mixture and cook covered over low heat for 4–5 minutes. The underside of the omelette should be slightly browned.

  6. Slide the omelette onto a preheated plate, add half the mushroom filling, fold the omelette over and keep warm. Prepare the other omelette in the same way.

  Tip: Serve the omelette as an entree with a mixed green salad or lamb’s lettuce salad, made without the egg.

  The omelette should be prepared immediately before it is served.

  If you want to make the omelette light and airy, beat the egg white until it is stiff and fold into the yolk mixture.

  Variation: Instead of the mushroom filling, make an omelette with mozzarella and tomatoes. Drain 125 g/41⁄2 oz mozzarella cheese and cut into thin slices. Wash and dry 2 tomatoes, remove the stalks and cut into slices. Use half the omelette mixture for each omelette. Put half the slices of cheese and tomato on each omelette, sprinkle with salt and pepper and fold the omelette over. The omelettes may be garnished with small-leafed basil.

  EGG & CURD CHEESE DISHES

  158 | Stuffed eggs

  Good value

  Preparation time: about 25 minutes

  4 hard-boiled medium eggs

  1 tablespoon mayonnaise

  1 slightly heaped teaspoon mustard

  salt

  freshly ground pepper

  1 pinch sugar

  some salad leaves

  8 preserved anchovy fillets

  about 3 pickled gherkins

  some cocktail tomatoes

  chopped parsley

  Per serving:

  P: 9 g, F: 9 g, C: 2 g, kJ: 523, kcal: 125

  1. Shell the eggs, cut in half lengthways and remove the yolks. Rub the egg yolks through a sieve, add the mayonnaise and mustard and stir into a smooth mass. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Put the mixture in a piping bag with a large star-shaped nozzle and squeeze into the hollows of the egg halves.

  2. Wash the lettuce leaves and spin dry. Pat the sardine fillets dry. Drain the gherkins and cut into strips. Wash the cherry tomatoes, wipe dry and cut in half. Arrange the egg halves on the lettuce leaves. Garnish with the anchovy fillets, strips of gherkin and cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

  Tip: Serve stuffed eggs with salad dishes, as part of a buffet or as a starter with toast or baguette.

  Variation 1: Eggs stuffed with curried curd cheese. Take 50 g/2 oz fromage frais, 1 teaspoon crème fraîche and 1⁄2 teaspoon curry powder and stir into the egg yolks rubbed through a sieve. Season with salt, pepper and sugar and fill the egg halves with this mixture. Garnish with 1–2 tablespoons crab or shrimps, some dill and slices of lemon.

  Variation 2: Eggs with Parmesan stuffing. Stir 1 tablespoon crème fraîche, 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan and a few chopped pink pepper berries into the egg yolks rubbed through a sieve. Season with salt and pepper and fill the egg halves with the mixture. Garnish with 1 tablespoon roasted pine nuts and 1 tablespoon chopped rocket.

  Variation 3: Eggs with herb curd cheese stuffing. Stir 1 tablespoon each crème fraîche and herb curd cheese into the egg yolk rubbed through a sieve. Season with salt and sugar. Spoon into the egg halves and garnish with about 100 g/31⁄2 oz coloured peppers, cut into strips.

  Variation 4: Eggs with tomato flavoured curd cheese. Mix together 2 tablespoons curd cheese, 1–2 teaspoons tomato purée and 1 teaspoon drained, finely chopped capers and stir into the egg yolk rubbed through a sieve. Season with salt and sugar, fill the egg halves with this mixture and garnish with 50 g/2 oz ham cut into thin strips.

  EGG & CURD CHEESE DISHES

  159 | Egg fricassée

  With alcohol

  Preparation time: about 45 minutes

  300 g/10 oz mushrooms

  1 can or jar of asparagus pieces, drained weight 175 g/6 oz

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

  6 hard-boiled eggs

  20 g/3⁄4 oz (11⁄2 tablespoons) butter or margarine

  25 g/1 oz (4 tablespoons) plain (all-purpose) flour

  1 egg yolk

  2 tablespoons white wine

  salt

  freshly ground white pepper

  1 pinch sugar

  about 2 teaspoons lemon juice

  2 teaspoons chopped parsley

  Per serving:

  P: 16 g, F: 15 g, C: 7 g, kJ: 972, kcal: 232

  1. Cut off the ends of the mushroom stalks. Remove any bad parts from the mushrooms and wipe clean with kitchen paper. If necessary, rinse and pat dry. Cut the mushrooms into slices.

  2. Drain the asparagus in a colander, reserving the liquid. Top up with vegetable stock to make 375 ml/12 fl oz (11⁄2 cups) liquid. Shell the eggs and cut into six, using an egg slicer or knife.

  3. Melt the butter or margarine in a pan. Add the sliced mushrooms and fry briefly while stirring. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle the flour on the mushrooms and continue cooking until the flour turns pale yellow, stirring continuously. Now add the asparagus and stock liquid, stirring vigorously with a whisk and making sure that there are no lumps. Bring the sauce to the boil and cook uncovered over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

  4. Add the sliced eggs and asparagus to the sauce and cook for a further 5 minutes over low heat, stirring very gently now and again. Whisk together the egg yolk and white wine, and stir 3 tablespoons of sauce into this mixture; do not allow it to boil at this point. Season with salt, pepper, sugar and lemon juice and sprinkle with parsley.

  Tip: An egg fricassée is an ideal way of using up leftover hard-boiled eggs, for instance, Easter eggs.

  Variation 1: Add 2 teaspoons drained capers to the fricassée towards the end of the cooking process.

  Variation 2: Add 100 g/31⁄2 oz peas (deep-frozen or from a can) to the asparagus and the eggs, and heat up.

  Variation 3: Instead of fresh mushrooms you could use 200 g/7 oz drained, tinned mushrooms. In this case do not fry the mushrooms but heat them in the sauce together with the asparagus and eggs.

  EGG & CURD CHEESE DISHES

  160 | Eggs with mustard sauce

  Good value

  Preparation time: about 35 minutes

  8 medium eggs

  75 g/3 oz streaky bacon

  freshly ground pepper

  4 teaspoons chopped chives

  For the mustard sauce:

  150 g/5 oz (1 cup) crème fraîche, salt

  2 teaspoons granulated mustard

  some small parsley leaves

  In addition:

  fat for the ramekins

  Per serving:

  P: 19 g, F: 27 g, C: 3 g, kJ: 1374, kcal: 329

  1. Preheat the oven. Put 2 eggs each in 4 well-greased heat-resistant ramekins. Dice the bacon and scatter over the eggs. Sprinkle with pepper and chopped chives and put in the oven to bake.

  Top/bottom heat: about 200 °C/400 °F (preheated),

  Fan oven: about 180 °C/350 °F (preheated), Gas mark 6 (preheated),

  Cooking time: about 25 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, add salt and mustard to the crème fraîche to make the mustard sauce. When the eggs are done, remove from the oven, ease out of the ramekins by loosening them along the edges and arrange on a dish. Garnish with parsley. Serve with the mustard sauce.

  Tip: Eggs with mustard sauce make an ideal main course for 4 people, served with potatoes sprinkled with parsley and salad. As a snack, there is enough for 8 people.

  The sauce can also be made with crème fraîche flavoured with herbs.

  EGG & CURD CHEESE DISHES

  161 | Boiled eggs

  Easy

  Preparation time: about 10 minutes

  4 fresh medium eggs

  Per serving:

  P: 7 g, F: 6 g, C: 0 g, kJ: 355, kcal: 85

  1. Pierce the eggs at the blunt end with a needle or eg
g-pricker so that they do not crack when they boil. Bring some water to the boil in a small saucepan.

  2. Place the eggs on a spoon or skimming ladle and lower them carefully into the boiling water (the eggs should be covered by the water). Bring the water to the boil again and boil the eggs uncovered over low heat. For soft-boiled medium eggs, the cooking time is 5 minutes. For medium-boiled eggs, the cooking time is 8 minutes. For hard-boiled eggs, the cooking time is 10 minutes. Add 1 minute to the cooking time if the eggs are large.

  3. Remove the eggs from the water with a spoon or skimming ladle and dip in cold water so that they easier to shell.

  Tip: If the eggs have come straight from the refrigerator, add 1 more minute to the cooking time. Very cold eggs should be pre-warmed in lukewarm water to prevent the shells from cracking.

  EGG & CURD CHEESE DISHES

  162 | Pancakes

  For children (about 7 pancakes)

  Preparation time: about 40 minutes, excluding resting time

  250 g/9 oz plain (allpurpose) flour

  4 medium eggs

  2 teaspoons sugar

  1 pinch salt

  375 ml/12 fl oz (11⁄2 cups) milk

  125 ml/4 fl oz (1⁄2 cup) mineral water

  5 tablespoons cooking oil, e.g. sunflower oil or 80 g/3 oz (6 tablespoons) clarified butter

  Per serving:

  P: 10 g, F: 17 g, C: 29 g, kJ: 1290, kcal: 308

  1. Sieve the flour in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Beat together the eggs, milk and mineral water using a whisk and stir in the sugar and salt. Pour a little of this mixture in the well and mix with the flour around. Now add the rest of the egg-mixture little by little to the flour, making sure that there are no lumps. Let the batter rest for 20–30 minutes.