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Cooking, Recipe and Food Blog

Gluvine

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As if a bottle of red didn’t taste good enough on a cool Autumn Evening, try it in this traditional German style. Warm, with such a wide infusion of flavours and smells, served in warmed mugs. A very simple, easy to make drink, which is an immediate favourite at many parties as something different.

Hugely popular at many German Christmas Markets, where you see huge kettles constantly being served from the ornately decorated Stalls.

Serves 6 people

Bottle of German Red Wine

250ml Water

Juice of 1 Lemon (or orange)

1 Cinnamon stick

Cloves

1.       Pour the water and wine into a large pan, and start to heat

2.       Add the cloves, cinnamon and lemon slowly and to taste, making sure the pan doesn’t boil.

3.       Remove the Cinnamon stick and cloves before serving.

4.       Ladle into mugs and serve hot.

Photo Courtesy of Gluemoon

Sauerkraut

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A very popular European dish, with many countries using it in one way or another in a traditional dish. It’s quite easy to see why too – it keeps for such a long time without the need for storing it in a refridgerator, and goes with Pork, Beef and Lamb, as well as other vegetables and pasta dishes.

Literally, it’s sour cabbage. Don’t let that put you off – it’s very good for you – very high in Vitamins, good bacteria and other important nutrition.

You can always add extra fruit and vegetables to make it your own – carrots, different cabbages, onion, beetroot, apples…the list goes on!

1 cabbage

Fine Sea Salt

Storage Pot (not plastic or metal)

Mixing bowl

1.      Shred the cabbage. Chop it in a fine pieces, or coarsely. Dump it in the mixing bowl and add salt as you go

2.      To add any extra fruit and vegetables, grate or dice them. Personally, I like the flavours that you get from the mix of Carrot and Garlic. Grate and Dice any extra fruit and vegetables, and add these to the bowl, with the extra salt.

3.      Squeeze and mix everything together. Try using your hands to start off with, because you can squeeze harder.

4.      After getting some of the moisture out, start to pack the mix into the ceramic storage pot – make sure you can cover whatever sized pot you use. Pack it into the jar very tightly, making sure you can compress it down further.

5.      Cover with a snug fitting cap, or a plate if you have one which fits. Place something heavy on top to weigh it down (large water bottle, or a rock) to make sure that the mix is completely covered under the brine. Cover the whole assembly with a towel or cloth to keep any bugs and insects out

6.      Every few hours for a couple of days, press down on top of the weight to make sure it’s all still submerged. If it isn’t you’ll just have old cabbage, so you’ll have to add more water and some more salt.

7.      After the first two days, check it less often. It will reduce in volume as it begins to ferment, and some mould or scum may appear on the surface. Skim it off as you see it appear, but don’t worry – as long as the Sauerkraut is covered, it’ll be fine

8.      Taste it after three or four days. It should begin to be tangy, and you’ll be able to judge how long you’ll need to leave it to get the right taste – the longer it’s left, the stronger it tastes.

9.      Usually, it’s ready in between three and seven days – if you leave it somewhere cool (like a cold cellar, or a fridge) it can improve for months.

That’s it. Only takes a few minutes to shred and cut everything, but then the time comes in waiting!

Photo courtesy of: bucklava

Bratwurst

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Keeping with todays theme of Oktoberfest, here’s another traditional German dish: Bratwurst. These low fat sausages are full of flavour when cooked regularly, but follow the recipe below, and a whole combination of flavours, colours, smells and textures make this a great dish

Serves 8
8 fresh bratwurst
1 litre  beer
500g bacon, chopped
2 cups onions, julienned
Fresh ground pepper
1 small head of cabbage, cored and shredded
Salt
2 Tbsp garlic, chopped
1/4 cup whole grain mustard
8 hot-dog buns

1. Preheat your grill.

2. Put the beer into a saucepan, and bring it to the boil on the stove.

3. When boiling, reduce to a simmer, and add the sausages. Cook for ten minutes

4. Remove the sausages from the beer, but keep it to one side.

5. In a fresh large pan, heat it till medium-hot. Add the bacon, and cook until crispy. Should be around six or eight minutes. Once cooked, set aside and remove all the fat from the pan except for ¼ of a cup.

6. Put the bacon back in the pan, add the Onions and Cabbage, season with salt and pepper.

7. Continue to cook on a medium heat until tender, before stirring in the Garlic, Mustard and 2 cups of the beer. Bring to simmer, and cook for ten minutes.

8. Place the sausages on the grill and cook for two minutes on each side.

Continue to sauté for four minutes or until tender. Stir in the garlic, mustard and two cups of the liquid from the sausages. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook for eight to ten minutes. Place the sausages on the grill and cook for two minutes on each side.

To serve, place a sausage in each bun. Top with some of the cabbage and finish with whole grain mustard.

Photo Courtesy of Stu Spivack

Pretzels

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If, like me, you like your Beers, you’d know that earlier this month was Oktoberfest. Having spent much of my time celebrating, I ‘researched’ this recipe very well. Although these pretzels are slightly softer and more buttery than ‘traditional’ pretzels, I found them to go excellently with a wide range of beers – the perfect side for any Oktoberfest gathering, sports event or as a snack.

To Make 12

4 tsp active dry yeast

1 tsp white sugar

1 ¼ cups of Warm Water

5 cups all-purpose flour

½ cup white sugar

1 ½ tsp Salt

1 tbsp vegetable oil

½ cup baking soda

4 cups hot water

¼ cup Kosher salt (for topping)

1.      In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1tsp of sugar in the warm water. Let it stand until creamy and frothy – should be around ten minutes.

2.      In a separate bowl, mix the flour, the rest of the sugar and the 1 ½ tsp of Salt. Make a small well in the centre, before adding the Yeast mixture and Oil and mix in well, until it’s a dough. If it’s too dry, add an extra tablespoon or two of water.

3.      Knead until it’s smooth (should take around seven or eight minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, and place the dough in and coat with the oil. Leave to stand in a warm place until it has doubled in size – around an hour.

4.      Pre-heat oven to 230 C/ 450 F. In a large bowl, mix the baking soda in the hot water until it has dissolved.

5.      Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 12 equal pieces, rolling each piece into a rope, and twisting into the desired shape. Once they’re all shaped, carefully dip each Pretzel in the baking soda solution and place on a greased tray. Sprinkle with Kosher Salt.

6. Bake in the pre-heated oven for around eight minutes, until golden brown

Photo Courtesy of Mercury Jane