The Recipes Archives

April 20, 2008

Bretzel vs Pretzel - The deluxe recipe

This is the hard way of baking original German (Swabian) Bretzels. For the easy way, check out the Pretzel post at TheFreshLoaf. And by the way, I do think that going the extra mile of creating the Pâte fermentée and using real lye (Food grade Sodium Hydroxide - NaOH, which I bought from AAA Chemicals) is totally worth the effort.

I got the recipe from a German site called Chili und Chiabatta. This is my English version, slightly simplified:

A day ahead, create the Pâte fermentée (fermented dough):

• 144g White Flour
• 94g Water
• 2.8g Salt
• 1 pinch of Dry Yeast

Kneed everything together, cover and let rise for 12-16h at about 70F.

Now create the real dough:

• 578g White Flour
• 340g Water
• 12g Salt
• 14g Fresh Yeast (I used 2.5 tsp Dry Yeasy)
• 36g soft Butter
• 7g Baking Malt (I used 1 tbsp Cane Sugar)
• 240g Pâte fermentée (all the above)

Mix everything together, except the Pâte fermentée, for 3min in the FoodPro. Now add the Pâte fermentée in chunks and continue to kneed for 5min. Let rise for 1h (in a slightly greased bowl, covered with cling wrap at 21C), fold the dough and let rise for another hour.

Make about 15 portions (85g each) and roll them out to about 60cm long 'worms' with a thick middle section. Lay into the typical Bretzel shape.

Cover with cloth and let rise for 30-45min. Now cool in the fridge for 30min - the Bretzels are a lot easier to handle afterward.

Now the fun part - The lye:

• 1250g cold Water
• 50g NaOH

Warning: Wear protective goggles and gloves and only use glass or stainless steel - especially aluminum does not withstand this solution (check your baking pan)!
(Now is a good time to preheat your oven to 230C) Slowly stir the NaOH into the cold water until fully dissolved. Using a large skimmer dunk each Bretzel into the solution for 5s. Top with coarse salt and using a sharp knife, make an incision at the belly of the Bretzel.

Update: Because those Bretzels taste the best right after baking, I did try to freeze a couple of them at this point in the process and the result was encouraging - Give it a try, if you don't think you will eat all of them right away :)

On a well greased baking pan (No Al!) bake the Bretzels for 14-16min at 230C.

Bretzels taste best when still warm - try them with a Bavarian Cheese spread called, aka Obatzda! More pics at SmugMug.

Posted by marco at 7:57 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

December 18, 2006

SpagBol

I listened to Jamie Oliver's Podcasts yesterday and notably found an original Italian recipe for SpagBol (Spaghetti Bolognese) by Jamie's friend Gennaro Contaldo. I haven't tried it yet, but my own recipe goes a lot differently - I like it with Carrots and a lot of chopped tomatoes. But here it goes, transcribed by me from the Podcast:

Ingredients:

• extra virgin Olive Oil
• finely sliced Onions
• Celery
• Half Pork & Beef minced Meat
• 1 Glass of Red Wine
• Couple of Spoons Tomato Puree, concentrated
• 1/2-1 l of Stock
• Bunch Rosemary

Sweat Onions and Celery in Oil. Add Minced Meat and loosen it up.
When the meat is browned add a glass of vine and let evaporate for a bit. Then add Tomato Puree, and fill up with Stock.
Add whole Rosemary and season (with Salt and Pepper).
Slowly simmer over very little heat for about an hour. Take out the Rosemary and serve (with Spaghetti cooked al dente and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano).

Listen to the Podcast yourself and see if I forgot anything - the annotations in the (round brackets) are my assumptions. Also check Wikipedia on Bolognese Sauce.

Posted by marco at 2:00 PM | Comments (1)

November 27, 2006

Thanksgiving

Picture of our Turkey, Tini's Vegetable Casserole, as well as Maggie's Yam Pie and Mashed Potatoes and the Cranberry Sauce. Everything was delicious :)

Posted by marco at 7:47 PM | Comments (0)

October 14, 2006

Josh's beans-and-rice-and-meat thing

A recipe from a colleague of mine - very easy, but delicious :)

I was probably going to make my usual beans-and-rice-and-meat thing.

Get a pot, sautee some garlic, onions, and shallots in olive oil, add in some meat (sausage and/or chicken) and let it cook most of the way, then add a can of black beans, a cup of uncooked rice, and two cups of chicken broth, and also whatever other spices you like (a little cumin and turmeric, for example, and maybe a sprig or two of tarragon). Bring to a boil then simmer on low for 20-30 minutes. Yum.

Exceedingly easy, and depending on the particular choices of meats/veggies it can be quite yummy and leaves a lot of room for variety (especially when you factor in different kinds of rice and beans, though I usually use jasmine and black, respectively). It is probably as close to "bachelor chow" as you can get without entering boxed food territory.

Posted by marco at 4:37 PM | Comments (0)

October 4, 2006

Rohrnudeln Rezept

Für den Hefeteig:

• 500 g Mehl
• 2 Ei(er)
• 125 ml Milch, lauwarme
• 50 g Butter, zerlassene
• 50 g Zucker
• 20 g Hefe
• 100 ml Milch

Für die Vanillesosse:

• 3 Eigelb
• 2 Essl Zucker
• 2 Essl Vanillezucker
• 1 Essl Speisestärke
• 1 Vanilleschote
• 350 ml Milch

Mehl in eine Schüssel sieben, die Hefe in eine Tasse mit der lauwarmen Milch bröseln, 1 TL Zucker dazu. In das Mehl eine Kuhle drücken, die Hefemilch hineingießen und mit einer Gabel mit etwas Mehl anrühren. Zugedeckt gehen lassen, bis der Vorteig das doppelte Volumen hat. Dann mit den Knethaken verkneten, die restlichen Zutaten hinzufügen und ggf. noch etwas lauwarme Milch hinzufügen, damit ein lockerer Hefeteig entsteht. Zugedeckt gehen lassen. In etwa Zwetschgen-grosse Kugeln formen und in eingefette Form geben, nochmals gehen lassen. Mit Butter bestreichen und im vorgeheizten Ofen bei 170°C etwa 30min backen. Nach 15min die Milch druebergiessenn.

Vanillesosse: Erst Eigelb, Zucker, Vanillezucker, Staerke und ausgeschabtes Vanillemark glatt ruehren. Dann mit Milch aufgiessen und ausgeschabte Vanilleschoten zugeben. Bei schwacher Hitze so lange ruehren, bis die Soße dick wird. Nicht kochen!

Posted by marco at 5:44 PM | Comments (0)

May 3, 2006

Recipe: Plum Streusel Cake

This very easy but delicious cake I made for my wife's birthday:

cook 1 pk. vanilla pudding as usual (pudding powder,
2 cups milk, 2 tbsp sugar, try to avoid pudding skin

wash plums, remove stones
preheat oven to 390 degrees F,
butter 11 inch springform pans

melt 4 oz butter in a small saucepan
mix 1 1/2 cup flour with 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp vanilla sugar
(or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract), stir in the liquid butter and
knead batter to crumbly streusel

spread 2/3 of streusel batter into the bottom of pan,
smoothing the top,
layer vanilla pudding on top of batter,
arrange plums on top of pudding, peel facing downwards
optional: add a hint of cinnamon

sprinkle plums with rest (1/3) of streusel topping
bake for about 40 min., remove from oven

serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream
or softly whipped cream.

For zee Germans: Chefkoch.de

Posted by marco at 5:22 PM | Comments (0)

October 16, 2005

Pumpkin Soup Recipe

I just got this recipe from my mom and we already cooked the soup 3 times in 2 weeks! And everybody that tasted it loved it, too ;)

• In a pressure cooker melt a spoon full of butter and fry a finely chopped onion.
• Add 400g diced pumpkin and 200g diced carrots.
• Fill up with a cup of meat stock or vegetable broth, season with 2 tablespoons of curry powder, a bay leave, salt and pepper.
• Cook about 10min in the pressure cooker (much longer in a regular pot).
• Remove the bay leave, now mashing everything with a potatoe masher or use a food processor.
• Add Creme Fraiche or whipped cream.
• Before serving put some roasted almonds on top and a spoon of sour cream.

Enjoy!

Posted by marco at 2:57 PM | Comments (0)

November 22, 2004

Thanksgiving is coming up

When I found this recipe, I thought it was perfect for you, someone just not sure how to tell when poultry is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out. Give this a try.

STUFFED TURKEY

• 10-15 lb. turkey
• 1 cup melted butter
• 1 cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is good.)
• 1 cup uncooked popcorn (ORVILLE REDENBACHER'S LOW FAT)
• Salt/pepper to taste - Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brush turkey well with melted butter, salt, and pepper. Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn. Place in baking pan with the neck end toward the back of the oven. Listen for the popping sounds. When the turkey's ass blows the oven door open and the turkey flies across the room, it's done.

Posted by marco at 5:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 26, 2004

Rezepte von meiner Mama

Münchner Gulasch
750g Rindergulasch
Zwiebeln
Knoblauch
1TL Majoran
1EL Kümmel
Brühe, Salz, Pfeffer
1Dose Tomaten, passiert
Wein/Wasser

Spätzle
350g Mehl
2 Eier
Salz
Wasser

Kaiserpunsch
aufgeschlitzte Vanillestange
2 getrocknete Zimtstangen
1/2l Wasser
10min kochen, kalt werden lassen und durch ein Sieb in ein min. 3l Gefaess giessen

eine Dose Annanas
Saft zweier Zitronen
4 filetierte Orangen
2 Flaschen trockenen Weisswein
etwas Rum
etwas Zucker

gut durchziehen lassen und erst kurz vor dem Servieren noch mit einer Flasche kaltem Sekt (auch trocken) aufgiessen

Kuerbissuppe
Zwiebel in Butter anduensten
400g Kuerbis
200g Karotten
Mit Fleischbruehe aufgiessen
Mit Curry, Pfeffer, Salz, Lorbeerblatt wuerzen
Maisgriess oder Kartoffel zum eindicken
10min im Dampftopf
puerieren/stampfen
Creme Fraiche
Geroestete Mandeln

Posted by marco at 4:41 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack