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Autumn always brings a new crop of cookbooks just in time for the holidays. I was delighted to receive a copy of "Black Forest Cuisine: The Classic Blending of European Flavors" by Walter Staib, who grew up in the mystical area of Southwestern Germany. He’s written two other cookbooks based on dishes he and his staff serve at City Tavern, where he is chef/proprietor. Staib also was named culinary ambassador to the City of Philadelphia by Gov. Ed Rendell.
Until I read Staib’s book, I knew little about Black Forest cuisine. Many of the recipes reminded me of my grandmother’s cooking, especially the Stuffed Breast of Veal and Kugelhopf. Staib includes a map of the area, which shows it lies just next to the Alsace region of France. This explains why so many of the recipes have a French flair.
The book is divided into seven sections: The Home Table, Caf� Bites, Gasthaus Comfort Food, Fashionable Hotel Dining, Black Forest Celebrations and the Black Forest Pantry. The author has a delightfully captivating writing style and immediately drew me in to the magic of growing up in a culinary family in this region.
The recipes are easy to follow and there are no difficult-to-find exotic ingredients. Each section includes appetizers, soups, salads, main courses, side dishes, vegetables and desserts. The four seasons are well represented, making "Black Forest Cuisine" a fine year-round book, even for beginners.
The full-color photographs are gorgeous and will immediately tempt your taste buds.
"Black Forest Cuisine" is a perfect holiday gift for anyone who loves honest-to-goodness German and French food. There’s nothing highbrow or fancy-schmancy about it. Just don’t forget to buy a copy for yourself.
Cabbage Soup (Weibkohl Suppe)
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
1 slice of bacon, finely chopped
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon of finely chopped garlic
1 medium green cabbage, cored and chopped (about 12 cups)
About 3/4 pound of Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups)
2 quarts of chicken stock
1 cup of cubed knockwurst or kielbasa
1 teaspoon of chopped fresh marjoram
Salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
Directions:
Melt the butter in a 6-quart saucepan over medium. Add the bacon and saut� until lightly browned, about three minutes. Add the onion, saut�ing for about two minutes. Add the garlic and saut� until translucent, another two minutes. Stir in the cabbage. Continue to saut� until the liquid has evaporated, about five minutes. Add the potatoes and saut� for two more minutes.
Pour in the stock and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Do not allow the soup to boil or the potatoes will break down.
Stir in the knockwurst or kielbasa and marjoram. Season with the salt and pepper and simmer for five minutes, or until the sausage is heated.
Serves eight.
Hungarian Goulash (Ungarisches Gulasch)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup of vegetable oil or 1 stick of unsalted butter
3/4 cup of coarsely chopped garlic
4 pounds of white onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 pounds of beef shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup of full-bodied red wine, such as Burgundy, plus 1/2 cup
1-1/2 cups of tomato paste
3/4 cup of sweet Hungarian paprika
1-1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
3 quarts of beef stock
3/4 tablespoon of dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
1-1/4 tablespoons of freshly ground caraway seeds
Cornstarch, as needed to thicken
Zest of 2 lemons, finely chopped
Directions:
Heat the oil or butter in a large, shallow saucepan over medium-high. Add the garlic and saut� until golden, about four to five minutes. Add the onions and saut� until soft and translucent, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Season the beef with the salt and pepper. Place in the saut� pan and cook, stirring constantly, until evenly browned and the pan is nearly dry. Pour in 1 cup of the wine and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Raise the heat to high. Bring to a boil. Let bubble until the wine is reduced and the pan is nearly dry again.
Stir in the tomato paste, add the remaining wine and boil until the pan is nearly dry once more. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the paprika, flour and stock. Whisk until smooth to prevent lumps. Add the red pepper and caraway. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir often to prevent the paprika from burning.
Season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Stir in the lemon zest just before serving.
Serves six to eight.
Note from Phyllis: Hungarian Goulash is traditionally served with egg noodles.
Creamy Cucumber Salad (Gurkensalat mit Rahm)
Ingredients:
1 large English cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon of cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon of Hungarian paprika
1/8 teaspoon of chili powder
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish
Directions:
Place the cucumber in a medium bowl and lightly coat with salt. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until the cucumber has released its water, about one hour.
Drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water and gently squeeze the slices with your hands to remove the excess liquid.
Stir the sour cream, onion, vinegar, paprika and chili powder together in a medium serving bowl. Add the cucumber and toss gently to combine.
Season with the pepper and additional salt, if necessary. Garnish with the chives.
Serves four.
