THE FRUGAL GOURMET

AT THE moment there are
some 50 million German
immigrants and descendants
in’ America, and that
amounts to about 20% of
the entire population.

With so many Germans around,
you would think we would notice
them much more, but they are not
terribly visible. That is, unless it is
Oktoberfest: time and you live
near a German community. Then
you suddenly feel very German
yourself,

Look at the things German
immigrants brought to the New
World. They must be credited
with the Christmas tree, the
frankfurter, the beer industry,
pretzels, Bach, Beethoven,
Brahms, Wagner — these are
signs of German culture.

No, they are more than signs.
They make up the German culture
in this country. What a joy!

The following recipes wili help
you make a meal in the German
tradition. Some of the dishes are
from the south, some from the
north; all are delicious. ‘Guten
Essen!"'

GERMAN SAUERKRAUT

Serves eight or nine as part of a
full German meal.

In the carly days in this country
this dish was a regular among the
German immigrants because it was
cheap and it was delicious.

Do try this dish. tt will give
sauerkraut a new image in your
house.

5 slices thick lean bacon

2 medium yellow onions, peeled
and sliced

3 quaris sauerkraut in glass jars or
fresh, drained and lightly rinsed
[thsp. brown sugar

tecup dry white wine

1 bay teaf

12 whole juniper berries or 2 thsp.
carawas seed

Freshly gronnd black pepper to
taste

Tcup grited peeled potatoes

Phice all the ingredients ino a
heavy heale and simmer gently for
two hours,

GERMAN PICKLED
BEEF ROAST
(Sauerbraten)

Serves five to six,

This is one of the most famous
German dishes to be found in this
country,

1 4-3 th. beef pot coast with
bone
Marinade:

Ths cups ced wine vinegar

‘: cup water

Vy cup dry ced wine
{ medium onion,
chopped

1} medium carrot, chopped

ft stalk celery with feaves, chopped
8 black peppercorns

4 whole allspice

4 whole cloves

2 bay leaves

Te Cook The Meat:

3 tbsp. peanut oil

t medium onion, pected and finely
chopped

1 statk celery, finely chopped

1 mediam carrot, finely chopped
') cup water

‘2 cup red wine

“2 cup gingersnap crumbs (just
crush them up)

Garnish:

Chopped parsley

Place the beef in a deep glass,
earthenware or stainles steel
bow! Combine the marinade in-
eredients in @ medium saucepan
and heat to boiling over high heat.
Cool,

Pour the cool marinade over the
meat, turning to coat all sides.
Cover and refrigerate (wo to three
days, turning the meat several
times each day.

Three to four hours before serv-
ing drain the meat, reserving the
marinade, and pat the meat dry
with paper towels. Heat a large
saucepan. Add the meut and
brown on all sides, turning fre-
quently, sbout 30 minutes.

Remove the meat from the pan
and reserve. Pour off all but two
tablespoons fat. Saute the onion,
evlery and carrot in the fat until
tender, about 10 minutes.

Return the meat to the pan.
Strain into the pan the marinade
plus “-cup water, discarding the
marinade vegetables. Reduce the
heat to low and simmer, covered,
until the meat is tender, 2% to
three hours.

Remove the meat and keep it
warm, Remove the marrow from

peeled = and

fa

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

PRETZELS, BEER and frankfurters are among the items in-
troduced to North America by German culture.

the bone and stir into the sauce.

Puree the liquid in the blender
or food processor and strain into
pan, adding the red wine. Bring to
a simmer and stir in the ginger-
snap crumbs,

Simmer, stirring frequently, un-
til the sauce is thigkened. a few
minutes.

Slice and arrange the meat oa a
heated serving platter. Serve hot
with thickened sauce. Garnish
with chopped parsley.

PUMPERNICKEL.

Makes one large loaf,

This bread is one of the great
treasures to come from our
grandparents from Germany.
2 packages quick-rising yeast
EM cups tepid water (about 105°F)
I cup rye flour
f cup whole-wheat flour
'3 cup dark molasses
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocou powder
1itbsp. caraway seeds
1%) tsp. salt
t4 cups obus 2 (hsp. all-purpose
unsifted flour
2 thsp. cornmeal

Ino a large bowl combine the

yeast and warm water; let stand
until softened, about five n.inutes.

Add rye and whole-wheat
flours, molasses, cocoa, carawey
seeds With an electric
mixer or heavy spoon bear dough
until itis mixed very well.

if using a dough hook on a
mixing machine, mix in one cup
all-purpose flour. Knead until the
dough is elastic and pulls cleanly
trom the bowl, about five
minutes. (if needed, add more
all-purpose four, one tablespoon
aia rime.)

If mixing by hand stir in one
cup all-purpose flour with a heavy
spoon. Scrape the dough onto a
floured board.

Knead, adding as little flour as
possible, until the dough is
smooth and elastic. about five
minutes.

Place the dough on a plastic
counter and cover with a large
stainless-steel bowl Allow the
dough to rise until double in bulk,
about one hour.

Sprinkle the cornmeal in’ the
center of a baking sheet; set aside.

Wednesday. July 3, 1991 - North Snore News - 45

Punch down the dough, On a
Jightl, floured board Knead the
dough to shape into a ball.

Place the dough on the corn-
meal and press to form a siv-ingh
round. Let the dough rise in at
warm place until almost double.
about 30 minutes,

Sprinkle a obit of additional
flour on top of the loaf. Bake in a
350°F oven until the loaf is a cich
dark brown, about 30 minutes or
until the bottom sounds hollow
when tapped.

Transfer to oa) cooling rack.
Serve warm or at room
temperature.

POTATO DUMPLIN
Makes 32 or more dumplings.
The things the German im-

migrants learned to do with a
potato are just amazing.

3 quarts water

1 thsp. salt

3 Ibs. russel potatoes, peeled and
quactered

3-4 eggs, beaten

t cup peeled and grated russet
potatoes, squeezed dry

“2 cup regular farina

‘2 cup all-purpose flour

% tsp. freshly grated autmeg
Additional all-purpose flour for
““dusting*’

Garnishes:

4 tbsp. butter

T cup fine dry bread crumbs

'2 cup chopped parsley

Heat the water and one tsp. of
the salt to a heavy simmer in a
five-quart Dutch oven over medi-
um-high heat. Add the potatoes
and cook until tender, 15 to 20
minutes.

Drain very well and put through

a perato ricer or food mill. Spread
or, a platter or baking sheet to dry
a bit and cool.
Place the riced potatoes in a
mixing bowl and add the cegs,
grated fresh potatoes, farina,
flour and nutmeg. Mix all very
well.

Roll into golf-ball-size dumpl-
ings and roll in the additional
flour. If the dumplings do not
stick together well, gradually add
enough of another beaten egg so
that they do.

Bring a large pot of water to a
boil. Reduce to a heavy simmer
and cook the balls for !5 to 20
minutes. They should ail be
floating.

While they are cooking place
the butter in a smal! frying pan
and melt it. Toast the bread
crumbs in the butter. Use this for
a garnish on the dumplings, along
with the parsley,

Serve with additional melted
butter if you wish or just as they
are.

The green leaves of summer

Inquisitive
Cook

SUE
WILSON

ANNE
GARDINER

SLIP A few scarlet gerani-
ums or bronze nastursiums
between the leaves of a lush
head of curly Iettuce and
you've created an edible
bouquet.

But sprinkled with fresh herbs,
dashes of olive oib and [havored
vinegar, it's better known as a
salad.

The crinolines of curly lettuce
are only one among the bounty of
green leases we use in fresh: sum-
mer fare. Flat. Ingized. Crumpled.
Spoon-shaped.  Lettuge, mustard
greens, chard, spinitch, parsley,
and dandelion are indeed a varied
lot.

But such contri are deeeiv-

ing, for underneath the rulfles
and trills each teal is essential to
the life processes of a growing
plant.

heaves are packed with
chtorephyll molecules. bach thin
ouptetched surfitee captures as
much oof the sun's) energy as
possible, and turns it into sugars
through the process of photosyi-
thesis. These are used by the plant
for food.

Fhe pigment chlorophylb is alse
responsible for their color along
with some influences by the
carotene family (which cars
yellow and red tones).

Phe more sunlight leaves catch,
the more chlorophyll pigments ac.
ermubie, and the darker to color

the leaves become.

And of course, Belgium endive
is barely green at all. fs carefully
cultivated under mounds of soil,
so chlorophyll is stifled.

is ideal to pick greens just be-
fore using them, Phen they're
fresh and crisp — cach cell is tans
and bulging with water. Bur once
harvested, greens will quickly
because there's no longer any
natural omeaas of replenishing
water fosses as the plant's
metsbolic processes continue.

The alternative is co store them
with care. Unless visibly muddy,
greens are best stored unwashed.
Pvtha water only pools in the
ctinktes to provide an ideal refuge
for bacteria.

Keep greens wrapped in a danip
fowel in’ a plastic bag. Extra
moisture raises the humidity of
their immediate surroundings so
leaves are fess likely ta wilt.
Refrigerator crisper compartments
are also areas of higher humidity.

Tie plastic bigs loosely. Carbon
dioxide trapped) inside an) imper-
meable wrapping may cause let-
tuce to brown along the midribs
and near the base.

The holes punched in produce
bags from the grocery store allow

the exchunze oof gases, which
Slowly continues even during
refrigerated storage,

Before using grees. always

wash the Jeaves well to cinse away
Microorganisas and pesticides.

mr RR LN