Ingredients:

1  1/2 kg 80-85% lean pork shoulder
900 g fresh (or fresh frozen) pork liver
1 medium onion, grated
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon fine ground black or white pepper
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
1 cup ice water
sausage casings (natural pork or collagen)

Directions:

1. Cut the liver into easily handled pieces and simmer it in about 2 cups of water. The liver should be cooked but still be slightly pink inside.
2. Cut the pork into 1 inch cubes.
3. Pass the liver and pork through the fine plate of your meat grinder at least twice. You want a very finely ground mixture.
4. Combine the spices in a 1 liter container and mix with the 1 cup of ice water.
5. Pour the spice and water combination into the ground meat and mix thoroughly for at least 2 minutes. Use your hands for mixing to assure even distribution.
6. Once the sausage is fully mixed, stuff it into 38-42 mm natural pork casings or comparable collagen casings.
7. Simmer the stuffed sausage in water just below the boil until the internal temperature reaches at least 152 degrees F (66 C).
8. Once your liverwurst has finished cooking, cool it to room temperature and package it. It will keep well in the refrigerator for a week and freezes nicely.

Related Recipes:
Bratwurst
Mettwurst
Classical German Sausage
German Sausage with Apples Sauerkraut and Onion
German Sausage Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 kg small potatoes, boiled in their skins (peel, then place the potatoes in the fridge overnight)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 thin slices of bacon or speck, cut into small cubes
2-3 tbsp of olive oil & butter (50/50)
Salt and black pepper to season

Method:

Slice the cold potatoes into thin 1/8″ slices, then set aside. 

Add about 1 tbsp of the oil to a large frying pan and heat gently.

Fry the onions till soft then add the bacon pieces. Continue frying till the bacon and onions are lightly browned then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. Set aside for now. 

Add the remaining oil and butter to the pan and fry the potato slices over a low/medium heat, turning them occasionally. Allow them to brown lightly on one side before turning, repeating the process till most of the potatoes are golden brown. 

Once the potatoes are almost done, return the onion and bacon mix to the pan, season with salt and plenty of black pepper, then continue frying over a medium heat till everything is nicely browned.

Related Articles:
Brägele – Fried Potatoes
Schupfnudeln – German Potato Dumplings
Kartoffelpuffer (German Potato Pancakes)
Kartoffelklöße (German Potato Dumplings)
Crispy German Potato Pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer)

Potato dumplings are old-fashioned comfort food, and they are often served with the Sunday roast and then reheated with the leftover gravy on Monday. Pair with wine that’s right with the type of meat that’s on the menu.

 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp butter
1 loaf white bread, cut into cubes
1/2 cup flour
2 pounds (900 g) boiled potatoes, peeled, cooked
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
pepper
some dill

Preparation:

1. In a small skillet heat butter until bubbly and hot, add bread and sauté, stirring constantly, until bread has absorbed the margarine and is browned. Set aside.
2. Measure out and reserve 2 tablespoons flour. In a mixing bowl combine remaining flour with potatoes (mash potatoes with fork or run through ricer into large bowl), egg, and seasonings, mixing well, portion dough into 24 equal mounds.
3. Flour hands with reserved flour and shape mounds into balls, press 3 bread cubes into each ball and seal closed, forming dumplings.
4. In a 5-quart saucepan bring water to a boil, use slotted spoon to gently lower several dumplings into water (they will sink to the bottom), when dumplings rise to surface, cook for 3 to 5 minutes longer.
5. With slotted spoon, remove dumplings to warmed serving platter and sprinkle with chopped dill. Repeat procedure with remaining dumplings. Makes 12 servings of 2 dumplings each.

Related Articles:
Brägele – Fried Potatoes
Schupfnudeln – German Potato Dumplings
Kartoffelpuffer (German Potato Pancakes)
German-Style Fried Potatoes (Bratkartoffeln)
Crispy German Potato Pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer)

Rouladen or Rinderrouladen is a German meat dish, usually consisting of bacon, onions and pickles wrapped in thinly sliced beef which is then cooked.
Ingredients:

4 large, sweet onions, sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
4 lb (1.8 kg) beef top round, cut into 6 mm by 20 cm long slices, pounded until tender
1 tsp paprika
sea salt
whole black peppercorns, freshly ground
450 g hickory-smoked sliced bacon
1/4 cup oil
3 cups beef stock (reserve 3 tbsp for cornstarch mixture)
1 tsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
German pickle slices
2 tbsp cornstarch
additional chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. Caramelize onions in 3 tablespoons of oil; set aside to cool. Place pounded slices of beef on cutting board and work with them one at a time.
2. Season each beef slice with paprika, sea salt and pepper to taste. Line each piece with 1 slice of bacon, 1 tablespoon caramelized onions and 1 slice pickle, if desired. Roll the beef around the filling, folding in the sides until it becomes a bundle. Tie each bundle with string in 2 places to secure; set aside. Repeat until all meat slices are used. (Reserve any leftover onions to later place in the sauce.)
3. Heat large, heavy, stainless-steel skillet over medium heat for 1 minute; add 1/4 cup oil. Increase heat to high; add some of beef bundles without covering entire surface of pan. Sear bundles until golden on each side; remove from pan to plate. Repeat until all bundles are seared.
4. Take 3 tablespoons out of the 3 cups beef stock; refrigerate for later. Reduce heat to low in skillet; add remaining beef stock. Return all beef bundles to the skillet; add 1 teaspoon parsley and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes. Remove bundles to serving platter; remove string.
5. Stir cornstarch and reserved 3 tablespoons beef stock in cup; stir into skillet to thicken pan juices. Bring to low boil; cook, stirring constantly until thick and glossy, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Ladle gravy over Rouladen and garnish with additional chopped parsley. Serve with Spätzle.

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 tsp each sea salt and freshly ground whole black peppercorns
4 slices German Limburger cheese, rind removed
8 slices German Black Forest ham
1 cup flour
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup bread crumbs
fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C).
2. Season each butterflied chicken breast with paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper on all sides. Lay each piece flat on a cutting board; place 2 slices of ham and 1 slice of cheese inside each. Fold over to seal the chicken breast. Insert a wooden toothpick at each end to seal.
3. Dredge chicken breasts in flour, egg, and then bread crumbs. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Dot with olive oil and bake for about 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Ingredients:

1.2 – 1.5 kg pork shoulder roast
800 g sauerkraut, well drained
1 onion, sliced
1 golden delicious apple, peeled cored and sliced
1 Asian pear, peeled, cored and sliced (or swap in 2 more apples)
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsps caraway seeds
2 tbsp dijon mustard
2/3 cup apricot or currant jelly (or a mix of leftover jams, ideally no sweet berries)
1/3 cup apple butter (or 1/2 cup apple sauce)
1/2 cup white wine or sparkling apple cider
1 cup chicken broth (or water, or kraut juice if you just can’t get enough of it)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Generously season your pork roast with salt and pepper.  Set aside on the counter for about 30 minutes to take some of the chill off it.
3. In a large skillet, saute the onions over medium-high heat.  When the onions start to soften, add in the Asian pear and apple slices and sprinkle over brown sugar and a big pinch of salt.  Reduce heat to medium and cook until lightly caramelized all over.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mustard, jam, and apple butter.
5. In a large dutch oven (or a tall sided roasting pan), combine the sauteed onion mixture with the sauerkraut.  Make sure the bottom of the pan is completely covered and heap the rest of the mixture along the outside to create a nest.  Sprinkle the outside rim with caraway seeds, then nestle the pork roast into the center.  Spread on the jam mixture, dotting some around the kraut.  Pour in the wine or sparkling cider and place it uncovered into the hot oven for 30 minutes.
6. After 30 minutes the pork should have a nice caramelized crust.
7. Reduce heat to 325 degrees, add in the broth just to keep the bottom of the pan from getting too dry.  Place the cover on the pan, or seal off the top with a double layer of aluminum foil and return to the oven for 2-3 hours, until the pork is tender and pulls apart easily.
8. Allow the pork to rest for 15 minutes before slicing into 1/2 inch thick pieces.  This is a very fatty cut of pork and despite the long cooking time it will not all render out.  You’ll have to eat around some of this excess fat, but this is what makes the meat so succulent and tender.  Serve on top of the sauerkraut with mashed potatoes and peas on the side.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons crème fraîche
7 oz. (200g) Quark
4 medium potatoes
2 oz. (60g) German brie-style blue cheese
(such as Bonifaz Bavaria blu)
4 small tomatoes
4 garlic cloves
2 small bell peppers
1/2 eggplant
1/2 zucchini squash
4 Bratwurst sausages
4 pork chops (2 oz. each)
2 chicken breasts (4 oz. each)
4 lamb chops (2 oz. each)
salt, pepper
parsley
chives
thyme

Preparation:

Wash the zucchini and eggplant, pat dry with a paper towel and cut them into thick slices. Peel the garlic.
Core the tomatoes, cut crosswise across the bottom and place the sliced blue cheese into the cuts.
Wash and dry the potatoes and wrap them in aluminum foil. Cut the bell peppers in half and remove the cores. Clean and finely chop the chives and parsley.

Mix the quark and the crème fraîche with the fresh herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Halve the chicken breasts diagonally.

Bake the potatoes at 400° for about 25-30 minutes. Bake the tomatoes in the oven until the cheese has melted and the tomatoes are soft.

Season the meats with freshly ground pepper and place arrange them on the grill. Cook both sides to desired texture.

Add the vegetable slices, bell peppers and garlic cloves to the grill, top them with thyme and season with salt and pepper.

Remove the baked potatoes from the oven, cut into them crosswise, gently push open and fill them with the herb-quark mixture.

Arrange all the meats and vegetables on a large decorative wooden board and serve with your favorite condiments.

German potato pancakes are a quick and easy vegetarian dish. They are shallow-fried pancakes of grated or shredded potatoes, flour and eggs, often flavored with garlic or onion and seasoning. Potato pancakes may be topped with a variety of toppings, ranging from the savory (such as sour cream or cottage cheese) to the sweet (such as apple sauce or sugar), or they may be served ungarnished. Potato pancakes are sometimes made from mashed potatoes to produce pancake-shaped croquettes.

Apart from Kartoffelpuffer, potato pancakes are also known as Reibekuchen and Kartoffelpfannkuchen in Germany. Although the Reibekuchen always contain salt, they are often eaten with sweet applesauce or plum compote. On the salty side, they are eaten with liverwurst, or served with smoked salmon and sour cream. But the most traditional way to eat potato pancakes is with apple sauce.

Ingredients:

6 medium-size potatoes, washed, peeled and shredded
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
vegetable oil for frying
toppings (recipes below)

Directions:

1. Combine potatoes, beaten eggs, flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl and stir well, until flour is no longer visible.
2. Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet, and use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop three piles of potato mixture into hot oil. Let fry on medium-high heat about until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
3. Turn pancakes and press down with a spatula, flattening them as much as possible. Fry until golden brown, and remove onto paper towels. Repeat with remaining potato mixture.
4. Serve pancakes immediately.

Toppings:

Apple sauce

In a saucepan, combine 4 apples (cored and cut into medium chunks), 3/4 cup water, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash with a fork.

Black Forest Ham & Sauerkraut

Combine 2 cups sauerkraut in white wine, drained, and 4 slices of Black Forest ham, sliced into strips. Add 3 tablespoons light olive oil and 1 teaspoon sweet mustard. Add 1 teaspoon fresh thyme. Stir gently and serve.

Smoked Salmon & Spicy Crème Fraiche

Combine 6 ounces smoked salmon, 1 finely diced large scallion, 1/4 cup crème fraiche, 1 tablespoon creamy horseradish, and 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill. Stir gently and serve.

BBQ-Curry Chicken

Combine 3 tablespoons German curry ketchup, 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce, and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar in a saucepan. Add the shredded meat of 2 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until warm throughout.

Related Articles:
Brägele – Fried Potatoes
Schupfnudeln – German Potato Dumplings
Kartoffelklöße (German Potato Dumplings)
German-Style Fried Potatoes (Bratkartoffeln)
Crispy German Potato Pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped onion (1 small)
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 -2 lbs white asparagus, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces, heads reserved
6 cups broth, either chicken or vegetable
1/2 cup half and half cream
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
dry white wine, to taste
parsley or rosemary, for garnish

Directions:

1. Make sure you peel white asparagus before you chop it into small pieces.
2. Sauté the onion in the butter until soft in the bottom of a 4 quart saucepan. Add the pieces of asparagus (minus the heads) and steam for 5 minutes. Add the broth and boil gently for about 30 minutes, or until the asparagus is very soft.
3. Purée the soup in batches in the blender (place a towel over the lid and hold down the lid so the hot soup does not splatter) or with a hand blender and return to pan.
4. Bring to a simmer and add the reserved asparagus heads. Cook at least 5 minutes, or until they are fork-tender. Turn down the heat and add the cream. Do not boil further.
5. Taste and add salt and freshly ground pepper as needed. You may also want to add a few spoonfuls of white wine, if you think the soup needs acidity. Garnish with your favorite greens.