Sour Cherry Soup
Sometimes this soup is thickened by boiling spaetzle in the broth.
2 pints sour cherries, pitted
2 cups red wine
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 stick cinnamon
2 whole cloves
2 egg yolks
Rind of 1 lemon, grated
Stew the cherries gently in the wine with the sugar and spices until the cherries are soft. Remove cinnamon and cloves. Puree 1/2 cup of the cherries with 1 cup of the liquid and the egg yolks (beaten with a little of the hot liquid first) and return to the pan. Add the lemon rind and taste for seasoning.
Serve cold or hot.
Serves 4.
Snickerdoodles
A favorite in German homes!
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Cream shortening, sugar and eggs. Sift dry ingredients into first mixture. Roll dough into walnut-size balls. Mix cinnamon and sugar together. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes.
Short Ribs with Horseradish Sauce (Tafelspitz)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 pounds beef short ribs, cut into pieces
4 cups water peppercorns
1 large onion, sliced
1 large carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium turnip, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
10 to 12 whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Minced parsley
Horseradish Sauce
Heat oil in Dutch oven until hot. Cook beef ribs over medium heat until brown on all sides; drain fat. Add remaining ingredients except parsley and Horseradish Sauce. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beef is tender, about 2 hours.
Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with Horseradish Sauce.
Yields 4 servings.
Horseradish Sauce
1 cup applesauce
1 to 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
Mix applesauce and horseradish.
Shoo-Fly Pie (Pennsylvania Dutch)
There is a theory that, since flies are partial to molasses and have to be chased away while the cook is making the pie, this is how the pie was named.
Pastry for a 1-crust pie
Crumb Mixture
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon each nutmeg, ginger and cloves
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening
Filling
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup boiling water
1 egg yolk, beaten well
Line a 9-inch pie pan with pastry. Refrigerate while you prepare the Crumb Mixture and Filling. Combine flour with brown sugar, salt and spices. Pinch in the butter until the mixture looks mealy. set aside. Stir baking soda, molasses and egg yolk into boiling water and let cool completely. Put one-third of the Crumb Mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Add liquid, then sprinkle top with remaining crumbs and bake at 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes or until crust begins to brown. Turn oven to 325 degrees F and bake until the center is a bit firm, about 30 minutes.
Schinkenfleckel (Ham and Noodle Casserole, Austria)
1 (8 ounce) package egg noodles, cooked and drained
1/2 pound cooked ham, ground
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup dairy sour cream
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt, to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked noodles, ground ham, cottage cheese, sour cream, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Stir gently until well mixed. Spoon noodle mixture into a lightly greased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until heated through.
Schaum Torte (Raspberry "Pinch Pie")
Do not try to make this in wet weather. Wait until a clear day because moisture in the air makes this collapse.
Meringue
3 egg whites (at room temperature)
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 drops almond extract
3/4 cup pulverized almonds
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt until stiff but not dry. Fold in sugar gently, along with flavorings. Mix ground almonds with cornstarch and add. Either line a springform pan with the meringue, or spread it in a thick 10-inch circle on a buttered and floured cookie sheet and pinch up the sides to make a 1-inch high rim to hold the filling. Bake the meringue at 225 degrees F until it is well dried and barely golden in color, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Turn off the oven. Leave meringue in the turned-off oven until ready to use.
Sauce
2 pints fresh raspberries
2 packages frozen raspberries
1/4 cup creme de cassis
2 cups heavy cream, whipped
Keep fresh raspberries whole, but make a sauce of the frozen raspberries by liquefying them in a blender with the cassis. Mix fresh raspberries with half the sauce and put them in the meringue. Cover with the whipped cream and a splash of sauce, or serve the torte with the raspberries showing, and the cream and remaining sauce kept separate, as an accompaniment.
Serves 6 to 8.
Sauerkraut
5 pounds shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons salt
Pack cabbage into a stone jar or crock, working in salt until juicy. Add water to bring juice to the top. Cover with a white cloth and weight down with a plate. Wash the cloth each day and remove the scum. In three weeks, cold pack in jars for 30 minutes. Leave 1 1/2 inches of space at the top of each jar.
Sauerbraten
This is wonderful served with potato pancakes or potato dumplings and red cabbage.
1 boneless rump roast (about 4 pounds)
4 cups water
2 cups red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 medium-size onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
1 teaspoon mixed pickling spices
24 crushed gingersnaps (1 1/2 cups crumbs)
Trim meat of all but a thin layer of fat. Place in a large glass bowl. Add water, vinegar, sugar, onion, celery, salt, pepper and pickling spices to bowl, stirring to mix. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 4 or 5 days, turning meat each day.
Remove meat from marinade; reserve marinade; pat meat dry with paper toweling. Heat shortening in Dutch oven. Brown meat on all sides (about 15 minutes).
Remove fat from pan. Pour marinade over meat. Roast uncovered at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.
Cover; continue roasting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours longer, or until meat is tender.
Remove meat to platter. Strain marinade; remove fat and return marinade to pan. Stir in gingersnap crumbs. Heat until thickened; strain again.
Slice meat and serve with gravy.