The Flavors of Germany

By Kip Allen

Don't let the last name of “Allen” fool you. Ethnically, I'm German-American. One of the advantages of being an editor is that I can occasionally indulge some of my pet preferences. One such pet preference is German food and since we're in October and Oktoberfest is a major German event, well ...

I’ve been in love with German food for as long as I can remember. I was born in Chicago and raised St. Louis, both cities with large numbers of German-Americans. My mother was of German extraction. These are the flavors of my childhood.

German food has an undeserved reputation for being dull, heavy and sour. There is the stereotype of the German townsman consuming vast quantities of blood sausage smothered in sauerkraut, while swilling the whole mess down with huge draughts of lager.

Yet, the Germans are famous in Europe for their breads and pastries, filling soups and stews, and wild game meals.

The type of food varies greatly depending upon the region of Germany in which it originates. Bavarian cuisine is as different from Prussian as is New England clam chowder from Southern fried chicken.

Cooking is a great adventure for me. German cooking is not only an exciting travelogue, it is also a journey into my youth.

I hope you enjoy this excursion.

Salads

Salads are often used in Germany as a snack, especially when guests arrive. They are especially popular at cold buffets and can even be a meal in themselves.

Spargelsalat Schloss Schwetzingen (Asparagus Salad)

Asparagus is a popular vegetable throughout Europe and Germany is no exception to this rule. However, Germans often pick it before the shoot has emerged from the ground. This gives it a white appearance and a tenderer flavor than the more mature shoots familiar to Americans.


1-3/4 lbs. of fresh or white asparagus
1 tsp. salt
Pinch of sugar
1/3 cup whipping cream
3 tbsps. mayonnaise
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp. of grated orange peel
Salt and white pepper
Finely chopped parsley

Wash and trim the asparagus, cutting it into 2- or 3-inch pieces. Cook the pieces until tender in a small amount of water with salt and sugar. Drain the asparagus and put it aside.

Whip the cream in a small bowl and add the mayonnaise, orange juice and grated orange peel and fold in together. Season the dressing with salt and white pepper.

Spoon the mixture over the asparagus immediately before serving and then mix them together at the table. Garnish with parsley.

The salad goes best with French bread and a dry white wine.

Gurkensalat mit Dill (Cucumber and Dill Salad)

Germans love fresh vegetables. Often, the vegetables and salads are perked up with a little dill. Here is an offering that is simple but very flavorful, complete with its own dressing. Be careful not to overdue the onion!

1/2 cup of dairy sour cream or, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil and 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. of prepared mustard
Salt and white pepper
Pinch of sugar
A few drops of Worcestershire sauce
2 cucumbers
1 small onion
3 tbsps. of finely chopped fresh dill

Combine the sour cream, or oil and vinegar, mustard, salt, white pepper, sugar and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Use a food processor to cut the cucumbers and onions into thin slices. Combine the dressing with the cucumbers and onion slices and toss gently to coat lightly. Sprinkle with dill and serve.

Soups

Soup has a special place in German cuisine. There are even fairy tales in which soup figures prominently. Many of these soups combine the best of both vegetable and meat flavors. Also, when they are cooked in quantities, they can be added to each day. Soup, like wine, improves with age.

Bunte Gemusesüppe mit Rindfleisch (Beef and Vegetable Soup)

This is a fun recipe with which to play. I often omit the tomato but include a wider variety of vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts or broccoli. Also, the meat may be varied or combined with lamb and pork to become a near cousin to another German dish, called Pichelsteiner.

1 qt. beef stock
1/4-1/2 lb. boiled beef
1 to 1-1/2 cup frozen vegetables
1 small tomato, peeled and diced
Finely chopped chives
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Boil the stock. Trim any fat from the beef, then slice or dice it. Add the beef and frozen vegetables to the boiling stock. Cook for five minutes until the vegetables are slightly crisp, but tender. Sprinkle the tomato and chives to taste.

Ladle the soup onto bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve with French bread.

Kartoffelsuppe (Potato Soup)

This is close to my all-time favorite soup. I often use rutabagas in this recipe in the place of turnips and will vary the ratio of potatoes. Sometimes, I add the marjoram in the last couple of minutes of cooking. Be sparing with the marjoram; it is a very pungent herb. This is a soup that ages especially well.

4 bacon slices, diced
1 large onion, chopped
4-8 potatoes
2 turnips
1/2 small leek
1 celery stalk
1 carrot, sliced
3 cups of meat stock
Salt
Dried leaf marjoram
1 pound of sliced Polish sausage
Finely chopped parsley

Sauté the bacon briefly then add the onion. Sauté for an additional two to three minutes. Dice the potatoes, celery, turnips, leek and carrot and put the vegetables into the saucepan with the bacon and onion. Pour in the stock and season with salt and marjoram. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add the sliced Polish sausage five minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley.

Dicke Hühnersuppe (Chicken Soup)

Chicken soup! What more need be said?

1 small stewing chicken
1 qt. water
Salt
Ground nutmeg
1 leek, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 lb. of fresh, mixed vegetables
Lemon juice or dry white wine
3 tbsps. of finely chopped parsley

Cut up the chicken and put the pieces in a stewing pot and cover with water. Add the salt, nutmeg, leek, celery, and carrot and cook over a medium heat until the chicken is tender. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken and discard. Then cut the chicken into small pieces. Strain the stock and boil. Add water to make a quart and then add the fresh vegetables and cook for 10 minutes. Add the chicken pieces just before serving. Use a little lemon juice or white wine for flavoring.

Seafood

Seafood is not a major part of the typical German's diet. The country has a limited coastline and the inland waterways have been largely fished out. Still, good seafood may be found, especially in Bavaria where there are lakes and streams in which fish abound.

Court Bouillon (Used in the following recipes)

1 coarsely chopped carrot
1 coarsely chopped leek
1 coarsely chopped celery stalk
1 onion cut into quarters
3 mustard seeds
3 black peppercorns
3 juniper berries
1 whole clove
1 bay leaf
1/2 lemon
Salt
1/2 cup of white wine

Combine the ingredients in a large pot. Cover with water, using at least one quart. Bring to a boil and skim the surface until the liquid is clear. Reduce the head and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain for use.

Krabbensuppe mit Dill (Shrimp Soup with Dill)

This is a nice, rich repast. The mild flavor of the shrimp or crab is well brought out by the dill and lemon. Do go easy on the lemon, however.

3 tbsps. of butter
1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1 qt. of Court Bouillon
1/2 cup of half-and-half
Lemon juice
White wine
8 to 12 large shrimp or one cup of small shrimp or cooked crab meat
Chopped fresh dill

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the flour. Stir butter and flour while gradually adding and blending in the Court Bouillon. Simmer the mixture for three minutes. Stir in the half-and-half, lemon juice and white wine. Then add the shrimp or crab meat and cook briefly. Sprinkle with dill before serving.

Forelle Blau (Trout au Bleu)

Trout is one fish that is still plentiful in Germany, especially in Bavaria. This particular recipe is especially interesting if allspice berries are substituted for the juniper berries in the Court Bouillon. Also, expose the fish to a slight draft after the boiling vinegar is poured over it. This gives the fish a beautiful blue cast.

4 fresh trout
1/2 cup of white wine vinegar
1 qt. of Court Bouillon
Parsley
1/2 lemon

Clean the trout and place them in a shallow bowl. Boil the vinegar and pour it over the trout. Let the fish stand for five minutes. Bring the Court Bouillon to a boil and then reduce the heat. Add the trout to the Court Bouillon and poach for 12 to 15 minutes. The fish is done when the dorsal fin pulls off easily.


Vegetables

In my humble opinion, the leek is one of the most underrated vegetables available today. I use it in everything from salad to soup. As a separate vegetable dish, it is hard to beat, especially when served with beef.

Gedünstetes Lauchgemuse (Braised Leeks)

2 lbs. of leeks
Water
1 tbsp. of lemon juice
Salt
3 tbsps. of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of milk, half-and-half, or whipping cream
White pepper
Ground nutmeg

Trim the leeks and slit open lengthwise. Wash them thoroughly, then cut each leek into three pieces. Cook the leeks gently over low heat with a little water, lemon juice and salt.

Combine the flour, milk, half-and-half or cream in a small bowl and then add to the cooking liquid. Continue cooking and stirring constantly until it thickens. Then season with white pepper and nutmeg and serve.

Rotkohl (Red Cabbage)

What is Germany without cabbage? This particular recipe stands out in my childhood memories.

1-3/4 lbs. of red cabbage
1/4 cup of goose fat or lard
One onion, diced
2-3 tart apples
Red wine vinegar
2-3 whole cloves
1 small bay leaf
Salt and pepper
Sugar
Water
Red wine

Trim and finely shred the cabbage. Melt the lard in a medium saucepan. Add and lightly sauté the onion and then add the cabbage. Peel and slice the apples and add to the saucepan. Add the vinegar, cloves, bay leaf, salt, pepper and sugar along with 1/2 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Keep simmering until the cabbage is tender, about 30 minutes. Add water from time to time to prevent the cabbage from scorching. Add the wine at the very end of the cooking time.

Bratkartoffeln (Sautéed Potatoes)

Potatoes are a staple on the German meal table. Boiled, baked, creamed or fried, it is sure to be found at least once a day in every German's diet. I am not especially a potato lover but seasoned potatoes fried with onions are hard to resist.

5 to 8 raw potatoes
1/4 cup oil or butter, or 8 slices of diced bacon
1/2 onion, diced
Salt
Cumin, marjoram or chives

Peel the potatoes and cut into thin slices. Fry the potatoes in a large skillet over medium heat using the oil or butter, or grease from the cooked bacon. Fry the potatoes for five minutes before turning to allow the potatoes to brown. Add the onions when the potatoes are half-cooked. Fry without allowing the onions to overcook. Season with salt, cumin, marjoram, or chives to taste.

Sauce

Germans are meat eaters. A good sauce enhances meat. Hence, Germans love sauce.

Meerrettich-sahne (Horseradish Cream)

In the province of Franconia, horseradish is especially well liked when served with beef. Caution should be used by those not used to horseradish. It is extremely pungent and a little bit goes a long way. When washing and peeling the horseradish, be prepared for a few tears.

1 cup whipping cream
3 to 6 tbsps. of finely grated fresh horseradish
1 tsp. of lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Whip the cream in a medium bowl. Carefully fold in the grated horseradish. The roots must be well washed and peeled before grating.

Braune Speksolsse (Brown Sauce with Bacon)

This is a favorite of mine for beef dishes. The slight bacon flavor greatly enhances beef.

6 bacon slices, diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
2 cups of meat stock, heated
1 whole clove
1/2 bay leaf
Pinch of sugar

Sauté the bacon in a medium saucepan until golden brown. Then add the onion and sauté until it is a light color. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until it is a pale golden color. Stir in the hot broth. Season to taste with salt, pepper, clove, bay leaf and sugar.

Dunkle Zwiebelsosse (Brown Onion Sauce)

This is a good all-purpose sauce. I use it with a variety of dishes.

1 large or two small onions
3 tbsps. of butter
1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
2 cups of meat stock, or 1-1/2 cup of meat stock and 1/2 cup of whipping cream
1 tbsp. of white wine
Salt and pepper
Pinch of sugar

Coarsely chop the onion. Melt the butter in a saucepan and then add the onion. Sauté it over medium heat until golden brown. Sprinkle in the flour and cook over a low heat until golden brown. Be sure to constantly stir the mixture. Stir in the meat stock or stock and cream. Season to taste with the wine, salt, pepper and sugar. Simmer for five to 10 minutes and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Main Course

Pork, beef, lamb and veal are favorites for German main courses. They are especially popular when cooked with vegetables in the meat's own juice.

Gesottene Rinderbrust (Boiled Beef Brisket)

I love this dish, not in the least because of the wonderful aroma it gives while cooking. It is an especially useful recipe as well because of the meat stock it produces. Save the stock and use it to make the sauces and soups listed elsewhere in this article. This is a perfect dish for the horseradish sauce.

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, cut into quarters
1 leek, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
Water
Salt
1/2 tsp. of mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. of black peppercorns
1 whole clove
2-1/4 lbs. beef brisket

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, leek, celery and carrot. Sauté the vegetables until tender. Add enough water to cover the meat. Add salt, bay leaf, mustard seeds, peppercorn and clove to the mixture and bring to a boil. Then add the brisket. Boil for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until tender.

Serve hot with horseradish sauce. Save the stocks for beef broth in other recipes.

Desserts

Although pudding is the traditional German dessert, fresh fruits are becoming ever more popular.

Gefüllte Melone (Fruit-filled Melon)

Cool and refreshing. I love this serving.

1 honeydew or cantaloupe melon
2 lbs. of mixed fresh fruit, such as strawberries, cherries, apricots, peaches, kiwi or bananas
Juice of two lemons
1/4 cup Grand Marnier or kirsch
Whipped cream

Chill all the fruit. Slice it just before serving. Scoop out and discard all the seeds from the melon. Use a melon baller to remove most of the melon’s flesh. Wash and prepare the other fruits as necessary. Cut into fairly large pieces. Combine all the fruits in a medium bowl, except for the melon, lemon juice, sugar and liqueur. Let stand for five to 10 minutes in the refrigerator. Then add the melon balls to other fruit and then fill the melon shell. Top with whipped cream and serve.