Kalbsrahmgulasch serviert mit Semmelknödel

Literally translated, Veal Goulash is a typical Bavarian dish which is normally served with Bread Dumplings.  I also prepare Shredded Cabbage Salad (Krautsalat) on the side.

Ingredients (serves 4 persons):
700 g veal (bug), to be cut into cubes
2 big onions, to be peeled and diced
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp Paprika edelsüß (sweet paprika)
1/4 litre beef or vegetable stock
200 ml fresh cream
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp oil

Method:
In a medium-size pot, heat oil and add half the amount of veal cubes.  Brown all sides over high heat.  Once done, remove to a plate and repeat with the other half.

Then, add diced onions to pot and stir-fry over low heat until translucent.  Add tomato puree, flour and paprika.  Stir-fry for about one minute.  Then, add stock and veal cubes.  Bring to a slight boil.  Cover pot and reduce heat.  Cook for about one hour or until meat is tender.

Lastly, add fresh cream and season to taste.  Serve with salad and dumplings.


Krautsalat (Shredded Cabbage Salad)
Ingredients (serves 4 persons):
1 small cabbage (about 700 g)
1 tsp salt

100 g bacon or turkey bacon, to be finely diced - optional (note:  I omitted this ingredient)
1 small onion, to be peeled and diced
1/8 litre beef or vegetable stock
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp hot mustard
1/2 tbsp cumin grains (Kümmelkörner)
salt and black pepper to taste

Method:
Quarter, clean and wash cabbage.  Shred cabbage by using a vegetable slicer into a big bowl.  Add 1 tsp salt and mix well.  Cover bowl and leave aside while the rest of the ingredients are being prepared.

In a small pot over low heat, add bacon.  Stir-fry until the fat oozes out.  If not using bacon, heat 1 tbsp oil.  Add diced onions and stir-fry until translucent.  Then, add stock and vinegar.  Bring to a slight boil and keep stirring at the same time.  Add cumin, mustard and oil.  Mix well.

Pour mixture to the shredded cabbage and mix well.  Cover bowl and leave aside for about 3 hours at room temperature.  Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper before serving.


Semmelknödel (Bread Dumplings)
Ingredients (serves 4 persons):
7 Semmeln or Brötchen (bread buns), to be sliced - one can also use ready-made "Knödelbrot" which comes in 400 g bag in the supermarkets
1/4 litre hot milk
1 tsp salt

3 tbsp chopped parsley
1 medium-size onion, to be peeled and diced
1 tsp butter

2 eggs
1 tbsp flour

Method:
In a large bowl, add hot milk and salt to bread slices.  Mix well and cover bowl.  Leave aside for about 20 minutes.

In a small pan, heat butter and add diced onion.  Stir-fry until translucent before adding chopped parsley.  Remove from heat and add to bread slices.  Add eggs and flour.  Mix well.

By using wet hands, make 8 dumplings and leave aside.  Bring a big pot of water to boil.  Add a little salt.  Then, add dumplings and reduce heat to medium.  Cook for about 15 minutes or until the dumplings rise to the surface.  Remove to a serving bowl.

Bon Appetit!

Roast Duck served with Apple-Red Cabbage and Potato Dumplings

Specially for Christmas Eve's dinner, I prepared a typical Bavarian dish:  Ente mit Apfelrotkohl und Kartoffelknödeln.  As a filling for the duck, I prepared a bread/apple/raisins filling for a change and it tasted delicious.

Ingredients (serves 3 - 4 persons):
1 duck (about 2,5 kg)
salt and pepper to taste

Filling:
4 bread buns, to be cut into 1 cm cubes
3 apples (unpeeled), to be quartered and cut into 1 cm cubes
4 shallots, to be finely chopped
2 tbsp raisins
2 eggs
400 g bottle duck fond
salt and pepper to taste
ghee or Butterschmalz

Method:
Clean and wash duck thoroughly.  Then, pat duck dry with kitchen paper.  Remove any visible hairs and season duck both inside the cavity and outside skin with salt and pepper to taste.  Leave aside.

Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a pan and roast cubed bread buns until golden brown.  Then, sprinkle with a little water and put on the lid.  Leave to cool down completely.

Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a small pan and stir-fry chopped shallots until translucent.  Leave aside.

In a large bowl, add in roasted cubed buns, shallots, apples, raisins and eggs.  Combine mixture thoroughly and season to taste.  Stuff duck with filling and secure opening with toothpicks.  By using a kitchen string and starting from the top, plait the string in between the toothpicks and secure tightly after each toothpick.  Make a knot at the end and cut string.  Tie both legs together.

Preheat oven (conventional - no fan) to 190° C.  Place duck onto a rack and place a deep baking tray underneath to catch the drippings (1st rack from bottom).  Pour about 200 ml water into the baking tray. Roast duck for about one hour or until the fat oozes out.  One needs to poke the duck's legs to enable the fat to ooze out easily.  This procedure needs to be repeated regularly.

Once the fat is starting to ooze out, reduce oven heat to 170° C and roast duck for a further one and a half hours, making sure to poke the legs to let the fat ooze out.

Then, increase the temperature to 190° to 200° C and roast duck for a further 30 minutes.  Mix 100 ml water with 1 tbsp salt.  Brush duck with this salt water mixture often in order that the duck skin becomes crispy.  Once duck is ready, remove from oven and cut into serving portions.


Apfelrotkohl (Apple/Red Cabbage)

Ingredients:
1 red cabbage (about 1 kg)
1 apple, to be peeled, quartered and cut into small chunks
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
200 ml red currant juice
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp ghee or Butterschmalz

Method:
Clean, wash, quarter red cabbage and cut into strips.  Heat ghee in a medium pot and add in red cabbage strips.  Stir-fry for about 5 to 10 minutes.  Then, add red currant juice, red wine vinegar, salt and sugar.  Mix thoroughly and simmer with lid on for about 30 minutes.

Add apple chunks to pot and further simmer with lid on for another 30 minutes.  Check seasoning. Warm up just before serving.


Kartofelknödeln (Potato Dumplings)

Ingredients (yields 12 dumplings):
2 kg floury potatoes
200 ml milk
1 - 2 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp salt or to taste

Method:
One and a half kg potatoes to be peeled and grated.  Add lemon juice immediately to grated potato and mix well in order that it does not change colour.  Place a small quantity into a linen dishcloth and wring the cloth to press out the juice into a bowl.  Do not throw the juice away as we need to gather the potato starch.  Add potato starch to the potato and mix well.

500 g potatoes to be peeled & quartered.  Then, cook in salt water for about 20 minutes or until cooked. Drain water away and mash potatoes or pass them through a potato presser.

Bring milk to a light boil and add to the potatoes.  Then, add cornflour, salt and the raw potatoes. Mix thoroughly.  Form mixture into 12 dumplings and leave aside.

Boil enough water in a big pot and add salt.  Then, add in dumplings one by one and reduce to medium heat.  Simmer dumplings for about 25 minutes.  Once ready, remove dumplings by using a perforated ladle and place in a serving bowl.

Bon Appetit!