Authentic German Potato Salad

There are a few recipes that I have learned here in Austria that have completely replaced foods that I have grown up with, and this is one of them. While potato salads in the United States are usually creamy and smothered in mayonnaise, the potato salad here is vinegar based and a bit lighter. I have come to really love the flavor and simplicity and will forever make my potato salads this way.

Serves 8

6 cups diced peeled potatoes
2 small onions, diced
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Boil potatoes until soft (about 10 minutes) and then drain water and set aside to cool. Once cool peel off skins with a butter knife. Some prefer to peel the potatoes before they are boiled and that is ok too. Then slice them into bite sized chunks.

In a large pan big enough to hold everything, saute onions in olive oil until soft. Add vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper to the pan. Once this mixture is boiling, add the potatoes and heat everything through. Serve warm or cool.

You could also add crumbled bacon for a little extra flavor. Guten Appetit!

Schnitzel!

from my neighbor, Angela

Addie had a playdate with a girl from her class, and her mom had us over for lunch for schnitzel. Schnitzel is basically a pork cutlet that has been breaded and fried. It is THE food of choice for Tirol and served at pretty much every restaurant in town. The trouble is, sometimes it's a bit greasy and heavy so you have to be careful. But when done right is a really nice authentically Austrian dinner.

Makes 4 pieces of schnitzel

4 pork cutlets
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs (beaten)
1 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp milk
1/2 cup finely ground bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 cup oil (for frying)
1 lemon (garnish) cut into wedges
cranberry jam (garnish)


Like most things fried, this is best served right off of the griddle - once they get cold they lose a bit of luster. So do all of your other prep work beforehand and cook the steaks last - right before you eat.

Take the pork steaks and pound them flat, so they are quite thin (about 1/2 inch). Arrange your table so you have three shallow bowls laid out: one with flour, one with the eggs mixed with nutmeg and milk, and one with the breadcrumbs mixed with salt and pepper. One at a time take the steaks, dip them in the flour to cover them completely. Then dip them in the egg/nutmeg mixture and finally into the bread crumbs. Try to coat each piece of meat evenly each time, and in the end you should get a pork steak coated nicely with breadcrumbs. Set aside the breaded pork on a plate.

Heat several tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan on the stove. Some people go really crazy with the oil - you can use as much as you want, but I prefer a less greasy schnitzel so I use as little as I can get away with. Once the oil is hot, drop the meat one at a time on the pan, and saute it for about 3 minutes each side. Once finished, set aside and keep warm until serving.

Here it's common to eat this with freshly squeezed lemon and cranberry jam, but the kids I was with had ketchup, so whatever you prefer!

Welcome to Austria!

Sacher Torte

recipe adapted slightly from Epicurious

One of my favorite Austrian foods is the Sacher Torte. Invented in Vienna in the 1800's, it's one of the most famous specialities of the country and is a delicious chocolate cake with tangy apricot preserves.

I have tried making Sacher Torte four times with four different recipes and this was the first one that got it close to the real thing. Mine still wasn't as pristine as the ones you buy at the bakeries (how do they get the glaze so smooth? I MUST KNOW!) but it was just as tasty, and even better the next day.

Totally worth the effort. So have at it. Go make and enjoy a little piece of Austria for yourself.

Chocolate Cake
4 1/2 oz couverture chocolate (140 g) *Any high quality bitter chocolate would do!
1/2 cup butter (125 g)
1 cup powdered sugar
6 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flour

Apricot Glaze
1 1/2 cup apricot jam
2 Tbsp water (or golden rum, if you want to be authentic!)

Chocolate Glaze
1  cup sugar
1/2 cup water
4 oz chocolate (113 g)

Preheat oven to 400 (200 C)

Prepare a 9" springform cake pan

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or microwave (careful not to burn it!).

Beat butter until smooth and creamy. Then add powdered sugar and beat again until smooth (about two minutes). Next, add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition and making sure to scrape down the sides. Mix in warm (not hot!) melted chocolate and vanilla.

In another bowl, whip together egg whites and 1/2 cup regular white sugar. Whip vigorously until soft peaks form, then add about half to the chocolate mix, folding in gently. Then alternate folding in the flour, then the rest of the egg whites, and finally the rest of the flour. Be gentle! Pour in pan and bake about 40 minutes, or whenever the cake is done in the center.

Let cool completely.
While cooling, prepare the apricot glaze:
Bring the apricot preserves to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Cook until the last drops that cling to the spoon are very sticky and reluctant to leave the spoon (2-3 minutes).

With a serrated knife, trim the top of the cake to make it flat. Then cut the cake in half lengthwise  to make two equal layers. Place one cake layer on an 8 inch round. Brush the top with the apricot glaze. Then place the second half on top and brush the entire thing, sides and all with apricot glaze. Be generous with the apricot, allowing it so sink into the cake. Place on wax paper and let cool until the glaze is set (30 minutes).

Start to make the chocolate glaze. In a medium saucepan over high heat, mix the sugar, water and chocolate to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium and cook uncovered, stirring, until the mixture reaches 234 F (112 C) about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir to cool and thicken slightly, about a minute. Use immediately and when pouring, do not scrape the pan.

Take the chocolate glaze (so it is fresh and warm) and pour all over the cake. Using a metal spatula, smooth the chocolate over the cake so there are no bare spots and it looks smooth and even. Put in the fridge until the glaze is set (about 1 hour).

Serve with whipped cream. This cake is even better the next day, but store it in an airtight container at room temperature.

Chicken Véronique

Ben made this for dinner the other night and it was AMAZING. So good I wanted to lick my plate clean! These pictures really don't do it justice. It's basically chicken in a white wine sauce, cooked with grapes and eaten over rice. The chicken is tangy and the grapes are sweet and juicy. It's an incredible combination.

serves 4

2 Tbsp butter

4 chicken breasts

1-2 cups green seedless grapes

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder

2 tsp parsley

1 Tbsp dried rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and pepper and sear both sides until they are slightly browned. Then transfer the chicken to another plate.

2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the second tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Saute the shallots until they are translucent. Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any bits off of the bottom, add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer until the volume of the liquid is reduced by half.

3. Add the cream, cornstarch (mix with a Tbsp wine so it will be smooth), and spices and let it remain on low heat until it has begun to thicken up, then return the chicken to the sauce. Poach the chicken until it is cooked through. (about 5-10 minutes)

4. Finally, add the grapes for just a few minutes before taking the pan off of the stove. Leave them in just long enough to become hot. Serve over rice.

Borscht (Beetroot Stew)

from Mandi

No offense to the Slavic language, but I think the word Borscht sounds pretty awful. So when my friend Mandi recommended this recipe, I was a bit nervous to try it out. In the end I was pleasantly surprised! I loved how in spite of how simple the ingredients were the taste was really rich and delicious. I used beef in my soup, but I think it would be great vegetarian as well.

8-10 beets, chopped into smallish pieces

2-3 carrots, chopped into larger pieces

3-4 potatoes, chopped into larger pieces

1/2 lb of ground beef or pork (meat chunks would also be good)

1 large onion, diced

1 cup diced cabbage

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

4-6 cups of stock or water

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp rosemary

salt

Sour cream

Saute meat with onion and garlic and spices. Once cooked through, drain grease and add in beets and saute for several minutes. Then add carrot and potato pieces, saute for several minutes and throw the whole mixture into a large soup pot. Add cabbage, bring the water to a boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Spicy Spanish Bean Soup

I just can't get enough soup this winter! It has been so snowy and cold this week and this soup was perfect to cast off the chill.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion

1 bunch cilantro

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1-2 chili peppers (depends on how much spice you want)

2 chorizo sausages, chopped into pieces

2 cups garbanzo beans

3 potatoes, cut into thin slices

1/2 cup olives, chopped

1 red pepper (I used the roasted kind that comes in a jar)

1 cup tomato sauce

3-4 cups chicken broth

cheese or sour cream to garnish (optional)

Saute the onion, garlic until beginning to soften. Then add oregano, cumin, paprika, chilies and sausages in a large soup pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.

Plum Flognarde

Adapted from Allrecipes

This is a custard like French dessert that when made with cherries is also known as a clafoutis. Is was light and fruity to the taste and although my picture suggests otherwise, it was very colorful and pretty.

10 Tbsp sugar

6-8 large plums (10-14 small ones)

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup cream

3/4 cup flour

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch salt

Preheat oven to 375 (109 C) Butter a 10 inch pie plate, and sprinkle 1 Tbsp sugar on the bottom. Cut plums in half and arrange them, cut side down, on the bottom of the plate. Sprinkle two Tbsp of sugar on top of the plums.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together milk, cream, flour, eggs, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and remaining sugar until smooth. Pour mixture over the fruit and bake in oven for 45 minutes or until puffed and golden. Let stand at least 5 minutes, dust with confectioner's sugar and serve.

Basic French Bread

from Every Day Food Storage

Bread can be so tricky. There are so many techniques to achieve different textures and densities and then there are the many variables with all the kinds of flours, gluten content and temperatures. So many ways to screw it up! And I am definitely a novice. I can bake basic bread, but if it needs any special treatment I definitely need more practice.

Anyway, today I tried out a basic French Bread. It is cheap to make, versatile and can be used with so many different meals. This time I did some research and tried out some new techniques and these loaves came out better than ever. I still have a ways to go to perfecting it, but am happy to see improvements.

I watched this great how-to video on youtube and it really helped a lot.

Makes 3-4 loaves

2 Tbsp yeast

2 1/2 cups warm water

7 cups flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp salt

Dissolve yeast in water, add sugar and let it sit for 10 minutes or so (until foamy). Then add salt and 2 cups of water. Beat until well mixed. Add the rest of the flour and knead on a floured board (or in your mixer) for about 5 minutes (longer if you are using whole wheat). Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes (until doubled in size).

Grease a couple of baking sheets (or use baking paper) and sprinkle lightly with corn meal. Take the bread and punch it down, kneading for 1 minute. Cut the dough ball in to 3 or 4 pieces and let the dough rest for about 10 minutes.

Turn on the oven to 450 (232 C) to preheat. Roll each dough piece into a rope not quite as long as the baking sheet. Place on the baking tray and make sure there is ample space between loaves. Using a sharp knife, cut diagonal cuts (about 1/2 inch) on the top of each loaf; then you can brush with an egg wash for shine or spray a little water and add sesame seeds or whatever else you want to put on top. Let the loaves raise until double (30-45 minutes).

While the bread is raising for the final time, you want to prepare a "steam oven" which will create the breads crunchy crust. To do this place an oven safe pan on the lowest rack or floor over your oven with several cups of hot water. When you put your bread in, the steam will be circulating in the oven and that will help make the crust nice and crunchy while keeping the inside soft.

Bake at 450 (232 C) for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 (176 C) for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. The bread should make a hollow sound when tapped. Remove from pans and cool.

This bread is best fresh and does not age well, so keep it wrapped in plastic overnight or it will get stale. If you aren't going to use it within 2 days, wrap in plastic and freeze until you are ready to use it.

Apple Galette

From Martha Stewart

A galette is a french pastry that can be sweet or savory. They often have a rough country look, so don't fret too much about appearances. This one is topped with apples and would be fantastic with ice cream.

1 1/2 cups flour (I used 1/2 white and 1/2 whole wheat)

4-5 Tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

6 Tbsp butter, chilled and cut into pieces

5 crisp apples

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup lemon juice

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, 1 Tbsp sugar and salt, and cut butter into mix until it resembles course crumbs. Slowly add 3-4 Tbsp ice water until the dough just comes together. Gently press the dough into a disc and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Peel, core and roughly chop 2 apples. Heat on medium the apples, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and cook, stirring occasionally until the apples are tender and the mixture is the consistency of chunky applesauce (about 15 minutes). Add 1/4 cup of water if the pan gets too dry while the apple mixture is cooking. Take the mixture off the heat and cool. Once cool, stir in 3 Tbsp lemon juice and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled dough into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Sprinkle the dough with remaining tablespoon of sugar and prick the dough with a fork several times to prevent puffing. Pre-bake until dough is just starting to set, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Core remaining apples and cut them into slim, even slices. Toss the apple slices in a bowl with 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Spread dough with cooked apple mixture, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Arrange apple slices over mixture in a spiral pattern, slightly overlapping each piece. Sprinkle the top with 1-2 Tbsp sugar. Bake until crust is golden brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Cari Poulet

My sister Kate has lived on a small island off the coast of Madagascar for the past year and a half. The food on her island was a bizarre blend of French food, Creole, Malagasy and Indian cuisine. On her way home to the USA, she visited us here in Finland and we made this traditional creole dish:

Cari poulet is French for curry chicken, but everything sounds prettier in French, so cari poulet it is. The dish was great and it was fun to experiment with the local spices she picked up from the island. What really knocked it out of the park was the hot sauce and beans, so be sure to make the complete meal.

1-2 Tbsp oil

3-4 chicken legs (skinless)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

5-6 tomatoes, diced

1/2 tsp curcuma (Tumeric)

enough water so the chicken is mostly covered in the pot

salt and pepper to taste

Hot Sauce: (combine into a bowl)

1/2 onion, finely minced

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 tsp salt

2-3 finely diced tomatoes

chili paste to taste (we used Pimo from Reunion island, use as much as desired...)

Beans: (Saute oil, onion and garlic in a pan until soft, add beans and cook until heated through)

1 Tbsp oil

1/2 onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup kidney beans, drained but not rinsed

In a large pot, sear the chicken legs in olive oil on high until cooked. Then add minced garlic and diced onion, and stir until fragrant. Then add tomatoes, curcuma, enough water to cover the chicken and salt and pepper. Cook on medium-low for 45 minutes, then serve on rice accompanied with hot sauce and beans.

Niçoise Salad

from Dana Treat

This is a French cousin of the Cobb salad. While the exact ingredients vary, there are similar elements that make for a very interesting meal. And if I have to eat salad, it better be interesting.


leafy green salad, washed and torn to pieces
green beans, cut
tuna (canned or grilled)
tomatoes, diced
kalamata olives
hard boiled eggs, sliced
small boiled potatoes

Boil beans until crisp-tender (about 2-3 minutes), take them out and dunk them in cold water. Drain water and set aside. Boil potatoes until tender enough that a knife can slip in and out easily (about 15 minutes). Drain potatoes and set aside.

Fill a pot with cold water, add the eggs and bring water to a boil. Cover the pot and remove from heat. Allow eggs to sit covered for about 12 minutes, then take them out and dunk them in cold water to halt the cooking process. Allow eggs to cool, drain the water, peel, and cut into slices.

Arrange greens with other ingredients placed decoratively around the platter. Serve dressing of choice on the side.

Spinach Quiche

Quiche is a dish my mom always made really well. It's pretty easy to put together and a great way to get kids to eat vegetables.
I found that this is a great way to clean out the fridge when you have just a little bit of everything left over. This is a very flexible recipe and feel free to add or remove vegetables according to your tastes.

This recipe makes enough for 2 pies, and I split them into one pie and a muffin tin of mini quiches. It's great for breakfast, parties or dinner.

1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1 cup chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup diced mushrooms
1 medium zucchini, diced
3 tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup diced ham
8 oz Feta
1 cup Swiss cheese
8 eggs
1 3/4 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
2 (9 inch) deep pie crusts

Preheat oven to 375.
In a medium skillet saute garlic and onion until lightly browned. Stir in spinach, mushrooms, feta, zucchini, diced tomatoes, diced ham and 1/2 cup cheese. Stir often until mixture is combined and heated. Spoon mixture into pie crust.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper, add 1/2 cup cheese. Then pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until it is set in the center. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Soft Pretzels

From Smitten Kitchen

Oooh, I love a good soft pretzel. This recipe is so good and addicting. Ben is not a big pretzel fan, so I am cursed to forever having to make up excuses to make them. Be sure to prepare some mustard or dipping sauce because these are going to blow your mind.

This recipe (like a lot of breads) was a little time intensive, but try not to rush it. My first attempts did not turn out so well...

but I kept at it and by the time I rolled my last it was downright cute.

2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
5-6 cups flour
1 Tbsp salt
2 tsp canola or other neutral oil
1/4 cup baking soda
1 large egg
coarse salt

1. Pour warm water into a bowl, combine with 1 Tbsp sugar. Stir gently, add yeast and let sit for 10 minutes (until foamy)

2. Combine 1 cup of flour and yeast in a large bowl, and mix until combined. Add salt and 4 cups flour, and knead together for a few minutes. If the dough is still wet and sticky, add 1/2 cup more flour. Knead until smooth.

3. Pour oil in a large bowl; swirl to coat sides. Transfer dough to bowl, turning dough completely cover all sides. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1 hour (or until doubled).

4. Preheat oven to 450. Lightly spray two baking sheets and set aside. Take dough and punch it down to remove bubbles, then transferred to a lightly floured surface. Knead once or twice and cut to divide into 16 pieces.

5. Roll one piece of dough at a time into an 18 inch strip. Twist into a pretzel shape and place on a floured surface (maybe use corn meal? I had trouble removing the rolled dough without messing up the shape). Cover with a towel and let rise for 15 minutes.

6. After all the pretzels are rolled, fill a large, shallow pot with a couple inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and add baking soda (step back, it foams quickly!) and remaining 2 Tbsp sugar. Transfer 2-3 pretzels into the water and poach for 1 minute each side. Use a slotted spoon to take pretzels out, drip dry for a few seconds and then place them on the prepared baking sheet. Continue until all pretzels have been poached.

7. Beat egg with 1 Tbsp water, and brush pretzels with the glaze. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until a golden brown (12-15 minutes) and let cook on a wire rack.

Pretzels are best the same day but will keep at room temperature, uncovered for two days. Do not store in covered container or they will become soggy.

Irish Stew

adapted from Allrecipes

The secret ingredient in this stew is the Irish beer. Otherwise, it's just regular beef stew...


2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb lean stew beef
1 large onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup mushrooms
2 cups beef broth
1 can Guinness beer
5 sliced carrots, sliced
2 large potatoes, chopped
2-3 tomatoes
1 parsnip, sliced
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp parsley
2 tsp rosemary
bay leaves
salt and pepper

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium high heat. Cook beef chunks until brown on all sides. Add garlic, mushrooms and onions, and saute until cooked through. Then stir in broth and beer, add potatoes, parsnip, tomatoes, carrots and spices and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour. Spoon off fat. If you want a thicker sauce, add 1 Tbsp cornstarch. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Croque Monsieur Ham and Cheese Sandwich

from Elise Simply Recipes

After months of being in awe of the multitude of cheeses available at the local market, I decided to try a few recipes that call for something different than cheddar, swiss or gouda.  These sandwiches have great flavor and are a great treat.   

2 Tbsp Butter

2 Tbsp Flour

1 1/2 cups Milk

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

6 oz Gruyére Cheese, (about 1 1/2 cups grated)

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

8 Slices of French or Italian loaf bread

12 oz Ham, sliced

Dijon Mustard

Preheat the oven to 400.  First make what is called a Béchamel sauce:  Melt butter in a small saucepan on low heat until it starts to bubble.  Then stir in flour until smooth and cook for about 2 minutes.  Slowly add the milk, whisking continuously and cooking until thickened.  Remove from heat, add salt, pepper, nutmeg, Parmesan Cheese and about 1/4 cup Gruyére Cheese.  Combine and set aside.

Lay out the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them a few minutes on each side (feel free to butter the bread for extra flavor)  Lightly brush mustard on each slice of bread on one side.  Add ham slices and sprinkle the Gruyére, topping off with the other slice of bread.  Lastly, spoon the Béchamel sauce to the tops of the sandwiches.  Sprinkle whatever remaining cheese on top and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes, then turn on the broiler and broil for another 3-5 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and browned.  

Makes 4 sandwiches