Ingredients:

 1 bunch fresh asparagus, with thick stalks, ends trimmed, cut in 1 1/2 – 2 inch pieces
400-800 g new potatoes, cut in half or thirds (the larger ones)
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed between fingertips
sea salt and fresh black pepper
1-2 tablespoons fresh basil or parsley, chopped
olive oil
fresh grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In an extra large mixing bowl toss the asparagus, potatoes, 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning and plenty of salt and pepper together. Alternately you can use your hands to massage the oil and seasonings into the vegetables.
3. Grease a roasting pan, casserole dish or sheet pan.
4. Roast vegetables about 35-45 minutes until potatoes are tender.
5. Garnish with fresh herbs. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients:

• 1 – 1.3 kg of kale, washed, stems and ribs removed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped
• 2 tablespoons rolled oats
• 450 g smoked pork loin
• 1 Pinkelwurst or other smoked boiling sausage, such as kielbasa
• 2 smoked boiling sausages
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• generous pinch of ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Plunge the kale into the water and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the kale well in a colander and chop it coarsely.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onions. Sauté until translucent. Add the kale and 2 cups water. Stir in the oats and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add 1 cup water in ¼-cup increments, if necessary. The stew should be very moist but not soupy.
3. Add the pork loin and the Pinkelwurst, and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Add the smoked sausages and up to 1/2 cup water, if necessary. Cook for 30 minutes. The smoked sausages should only be added for the last 30 minutes of the cooking time, otherwise they will burst.
4. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Serve with boiled or caramelized potatoes.

Literally translated, Leberkäse means “liver cheese” in German, even though in Bavaria it does not contain any liver or cheese at all. Leberkäse is a special sausage meat and is very popular in the South of Germany, Bavaria.
It is said that the meatloaf was invented in 1776 by the cook of Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria, although this story has been heavily contested. It is baked in the oven like a loaf until there is a brown crust. It’s best warm as a sandwich.

Ingredients:

• 400 g lean beef
• 400 g pork
• 200 g bacon (with rind removed)
• 250 ml iced water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground white pepper
• 1 medium onion
• 1 dessert spoon marjoram
• Butter to grease the tin

Directions:

1. All meat must be well cooled before preparation begins. Cut meat into chunks and mince on a fine setting.
2. Mix together both meats and add salt, pepper and the iced water until smooth. Mince the bacon on a medium setting and mix with the meat.
3. Peel and grate the onion and add to the mixture together with the marjoram. Place in the fridge to cool. Put the mixture into a greased loaf tin.
4. Smooth the surface and, using the blade of a knife, make a diamond-shaped pattern across the top (about 5 mm deep). Bake in the center of a preheated oven (180°C) for about an hour (fan oven: approx. 160°C, gas mark 2 – 2.5).

Swabian Meat Pockets (Maultaschen) are a typically Swabian specialty – pockets of noodle dough prepared and filled in various ways, e.g. with spinach, onions, eggs, soaked bread, and minced meat.
On 22 October 2009, the European Union recognized Maultaschen (Schwäbische Maultaschen or Schwäbische Suppenmaultaschen) as a “regional specialty” and remarked that the dish is significant to the cultural heritage of Baden-Württemberg.

Ingredients:

DOUGH:

• 500 g flour
• 4 eggs
• water (amount depends on size of eggs)

FILLING:

• 500 g spinach, washed (coarse stems removed)
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• butter
• 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
• 4 day-old white sandwich rolls, softened in water
• 250 g ground meat, pork and/or beef
• 250 g finely chopped ham or schinkenwurst, when available
• 2 eggs, beaten
• salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste
• 1-2 tbsp. unseasoned dry breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Sift the flour into a bowl and make a large indention in the center. Break the eggs into the center and slowly mix the eggs into the flour with a fork, beginning in the middle and moving outwards. Add water as needed (about one-half egg shell of water per egg) until a solid dough has formed. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead it on a well-floured surface until it is firm and smooth. Form into a ball, cover with a cloth, and let rest for 30 minutes.
2. To make the filling, begin by blanching the spinach. To do this, you’ll place the spinach in boiling salted water for about 30-60 seconds and then stop the cooking process by placing the spinach in an ice bath. Take the spinach, which should still have a vibrant green color, and squeeze the remaining water out of it before chopping it roughly.
3. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a large frying pan and sauté the chopped onion until soft. Take the day-old rolls from the water in which they’ve been soaking and squeeze out the remaining water. Add these together with the chopped parsley to the onions and mix until blended.
4. Sauté the ground meat in a separate pan with a bit of butter until the meat is fully cooked. In a large bowl, combine the cooked meat with the chopped ham or schinkenwurst, onion-bread mixture and the eggs. Knead the mixture until well combined and add salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. If necessary, add breadcrumbs to absorb excess moisture.
5. Divide the dough into 6 parts and roll each as thin as possible. Place about a tablespoon of filling in the dough at regular intervals, leaving some space between each spoonful to create little pockets. Lay a second thin layer of dough on top of the first, and pressing and sealing the edges between each bit of filling. Cut the dough to form little pockets.
6. These can now be cooked in simmering water for approx. 10 – 15 minutes, according to their size, taking care not to overcook them or they may not hold together in the final preparations. They may now be added to a broth soup or sautéed in butter with some chopped onion. The sautéed Maultaschen pair nicely with potato salad.