Ingwer-Nuss-Biscotti - Ginger Nut Biscotti

Ingwer-Nuss-Biscotti

60 g grob gehackte Walnüsse
40 g Mandelblättchen
2 Eier
150 g brauner Zucker
220 g Mehl
1 ½ TL Backpulver
80-100 g kandierter Ingwer (fein gehackt)

Zubereitung:
Nüsse ohne Fett anrösten und abkühlen lassen.
Eier und Zucker zu einer cremigen Masse aufschlagen. Mehl und Backpulver dazusieben und mit Nüssen und Ingwer unter die Eimasse kneten.
Aus dem klebrigen weichen Teig einen kleinen Laib von mindestens 25 cm Länge formen und auf einem Backpapier ausgelegten Blech bei 160°C 45 min. goldgelb backen.
20 min abkühlen lassen. Dann in 1 cm dicke Scheiben schneiden. Die Scheiben von jeder Seite 10 min. weiterbacken.

(Zu große Scheiben wie im Bild vor dem zweiten Backen diagonal halbieren)




Ginger-Nut-Biscotti

60 g coarsely chopped walnuts
40 g slivered almonds
2 eggs
150 g brown sugar
220 g flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
80-100 g candied ginger (finely chopped)

method:
Toast both kinds of nuts without fat.
Beat eggs and sugar to make a creamy mass. Sift flour and baking powder into the same bowl. Add nuts and ginger and knead together.
From the sticky soft dough form a small loaf of at least 25 cm length. Bake for 160°C for 45 min on a baking sheet lined with non-stick paper till golden.

Leave to cool for 20 minutes. Then cut into 1 cm thick slices. Bake slices for 10 minutes from each side.

(if slices are too big half diagonally before second baking like in the picture)

Mitternachtstopf - Midnight Pot

Dies ist eine herzhafte Suppe, wie sie gegen Mitternacht bei Geselligkeiten serviert wird (wenn es kein Abendessen oder nur ein kaltes Buffet am frühen abend gab).
Aber sie ist auch ein prima Mittagessen!
Meine Mutter macht dies Suppe seit Jahren, aber ich habe noch ein paar Veränderungen vorgenommen.

Die angegebene Menge ist für 3, kann aber beliebig erweitert werden.

1 Pfund Rindfleisch (gewürfelt, ca. 2 cm Kantenlänge)
3 Zwiebeln (gehackt)
Olivenöl
1 Knoblauchzehe (fein gehackt)
Pfeffer, Salz, scharfer Paprika
Lorbeerblatt
2 EL Tomatenmark
1 gehäufter TL Senf
1/2 Liter Fleischbrühe
2 Kartoffeln (klein gewürfelt)
2 Paprika (am besten grün - gewürfelt)
2 Möhren (fein gewürfelt)
Chiliflocken oder Tabasco
(ggf. etwas Wein)

Das Fleisch in Olivenöl scharf anbraten. Bei größeren Mengen sollte man das portionsweise tun.

Die Hitze reduzieren und Zwiebeln und Knoblauch zugeben. Mit Salz, Pfeffer, scharfer Paprika und dem Lorbeerblatt würzen. Tomatenmark und Senf zugeben, dann mit Brühe auffüllen und zudecken. Auf niedriger Hitze ca. 45 köcheln lassen.

Möhren, Paprika und Kartoffeln zugeben und noch ca. 15 min. weiterköcheln - oder bis die Kartoffeln weich sind.

Abschmecken - dabei Tabasco oder Chiliflocken benutzen um eine angenehme Schärfe zu erzielen.

Mit frischem Brot servieren.






This is a type of hearty soup that is often served at informal parties (where no dinner was served - or just a cold buffet in the early evening) around midnight.
But it is also a nice lunch!
My mom has been making this for years, but

The amount here is for 3, but you can easily make more.

1 pound beef (cubed; I'd say 2 cm long and wide)
3 onions (chopped)
olive oil
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
pepper, salt, hot paprika powder
bay leaf
2 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
1/2 liter of beef broth
2 potatoes (diced)
2 bell peppers (preferably green - cubed)
2 carrots (diced)
chili flakes or tabasco
(optionally some wine too)


Sear the beef in some olive oil. If making larger quantities you may want to do this in portions.

Reduce heat to medium and add onions and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, hot paprika and the bay leaf. Add broth and cover. Simmer on very low for 45 minutes.

Add carrots, peppers and potatoes and simmer another 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Adjust seasonings - using tabasco or chili flakes to add some heat.

Serve with fresh bread.



This is a type of hearty soup that is often served at informal parties (where no dinner was served - or just a cold buffet in the early evening) around midnight.
But it is also a nice lunch!
My mom has been making this for years, but I took the liberty to change it a bit.

The amount here is for 3, but you can easily make more.

1 pound beef (cubed; I'd say 2 cm long and wide)
3 onions (chopped)
olive oil
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
pepper, salt, hot paprika powder
bay leaf
2 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
1 heaped tsp mustard
1/2 liter of beef broth
2 potatoes (diced)
2 bell peppers (preferably green - cubed)
2 carrots (diced)
chili flakes or tabasco
(optionally some wine too)


Sear the beef in some olive oil. If making larger quantities you may want to do this in portions.

Reduce heat to medium and add onions and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, hot paprika and the bay leaf. Add tomato paste and mustard, then fill up with broth and cover. Simmer on very low for 45 minutes.

Add carrots, peppers and potatoes and simmer another 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Adjust seasonings - using tabasco or chili flakes to add some heat.

Serve with fresh bread.



This is a type of hearty soup that is often served at informal parties (where no dinner was served - or just a cold buffet in the early evening) around midnight.
But it is also a nice lunch!
My mom has been making this for years, but

The amount here is for 3, but you can easily make more.

1 pound beef (cubed; I'd say 2 cm long and wide)
3 onions (chopped)
olive oil
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
pepper, salt, hot paprika powder
bay leaf
2 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
1/2 liter of beef broth
2 potatoes (diced)
2 bell peppers (preferably green - cubed)
2 carrots (diced)
chili flakes or tabasco
(optionally some wine too)


Sear the beef in some olive oil. If making larger quantities you may want to do this in portions.

Reduce heat to medium and add onions and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, hot paprika and the bay leaf. Add broth and cover. Simmer on very low for 45 minutes.

Add carrots, peppers and potatoes and simmer another 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Adjust seasonings - using tabasco or chili flakes to add some heat.

Serve with fresh bread.

Party Cracker

200 - 250 g firm sourdough (just refreshed)
flour for rolling out

salt

spices and seeds to taste:
- sesame and niguilla (black onion) seeds (as in the picture)
- sesame and caraway
- ....

Roll out the sourdough thinly and transfer onto parchment paper. Brush with water. Sprinkle with salt and seeds and spices. Cut diamonds using a pizza cutter wheel. Bake at 200°C for 10-15 minutes.
After cooling down break apart the diamonds.


200 - 250 g fester Sauerteig (gerade gefüttert)
Mehl zum Ausrollen

Salz

Gewürze und Samen nach Geschmack:
- Sesam und Niguilla- (Zwiebel-) samen (siehe Bild)
- Sesam und Kümmel
- ....

Sauerteig dünn ausrollen und auf Backpapier legen. Mit Wasser bepinseln. Mit salz und Samen und Gewürzen bestreuen. Mit dem Pizzaschneider in Rauten schneiden. Bei 200°C für 10-15 min. backen.

Nach dem Abkühlen die Rauten auseinander brechen.

Coda alla Vaccinara

1 kg Ochsenschwanz (in Scheiben)
1 Suppenbund (1-2 Möhren, 1 Lauch, 1 Scheibe Sellerie - gewürfelt)
1 Knoblauchzehe (gehackt)
1 Zwiebel (gehackt)
1/2 Flasche Rotwein
2 kleine Dosen Tomaten (ca 1 kg)
2 Lorbeerblätter
1 TL Wacholderbeeren (zerdrückt)

Ochsenschwanz von allen Seiten scharf anbraten.
Zwiebeln und Suppengrün zugeben und braten, bis alles Farbe zieht. Mit dem Wein ablöschen und die Gewürze zugeben. Mit Tomaten auffüllen. Das Fleisch sollte ganz bedeckt sein.
Topf verschließen und 4 Stunden auf sehr kleiner Flamme köcheln lassen.

Abkühlen lassen und die Ochsenschwanzscheiben entfernen. Das Fleisch von Knochen und überschüssigem Fett befreien und zurück in die Soße geben. Abschmecken mit Salz und Pfeffer.




1 kg oxtail (in slices)
1 soup bunch (1-2 carrots, 1 leek, 1 slice celeriac - diced)
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
1/2 bottle red wine
2 small can tomatoes (c. 1 kg)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. juniper berries (crushed)

Sear oxtail from all sides.
Add onion and other soup vegetables and fry until they take color. Add wine and seasonings. Fill up with the tomatoes. The meat should be covered completely.
Cover pan and keep on very low heat for 4 hours.

Let cool down a bit. Then remove oxtail slices. Free meat of bones and excess fat. Return to sauce. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Bigos

Bigos (polnisches Nationalgericht)

500 g Schweinefleisch (gewürfelt)
150 g durchwachsener Speck (gewürfelt)
1 große Zwiebel (in dünne Scheiben schneiden)
2-3 Lorbeerblätter
2 Gewürznelken
3 Knoblauchzehen (fein gehackt)
ca. 500 g Sauerkraut (gewaschen und abgetropft)
500 g Kabanossi (in Scheiben)
150 ml Weißwein ( oder mehr Brühe)
100 ml Gemüsebrühe
1 handvoll Champignons (in feine Scheiben schneiden)
Salz, Pfeffer
500 g Wirsing oder anderer Kohl (fein geschnitten und blanchiert)
2 EL Stärke

Zubereitung:
Das gewürfelte Schweinefleisch mit dem Speck in einer großen Kasserole anbraten. Fleisch und Speck anbräunen. Zwiebeln, Lorbeerblätter, Nelken und Knoblauch zugeben und weiterbraten bis die Zwiebeln glasig und weich sind.
Sauerkraut gut ausdrücken und mit Wurst, Wein, Brühe und Pilzen zum Fleisch geben und verrühren. Kräftig mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen.
Zugedeckt 1 Std. bei kleiner Hitze köcheln lassen. Den Wirsing zugeben.
Den Eintopf mit Stärke binden.

Mit Kartoffeln oder Roggenbrot servieren.

Schmeckt am besten am nächsten Tag aufgewärmt.

Klassisch können in dem Eintopf aber auch alle möglichen Bratenreste oder Kleinwild verwendet werden. Auch eine Mischung von Pilzen ist denkbar. In Krakau wurde mir Bigos mit Krakauer statt Kabanossi serviert.






Bigos (Polish national classic)

500 g pork (cubed)
150 g steaky bacon (diced)
1 large onion (sliced finely)
2-3 bay leaves
2 cloves
3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
ca. 500 g sauerkraut (washed and drained)
500 g kabanossi (sliced)
150 ml white wine (or more stock)
100 ml vegetable stock
1 handful field mushrooms (sliced)
salt and pepper
500 g savoy or other cabbage (finely sliced and blanched)
2 tbsp corn or potato starch

method:
Fry pork with bacon in a large casserole pot until browned. Add onion, bay leaves, cloves and garlic and continue frying until the onion is clear and soft.
Squeeze out the sauerkraut to get rid of excess liquid and add to meat. Also add sausage, wine, stock and mushrooms. Stir. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add the other cabbage.
Thicken with starch.

Serve with potatoes or rye bread.

Best when reheated the next day.

Classically you could use any leftover roast or small game instead of the pork. Also a mix of mushrooms would be possible. In Krakow I was served bigos with krakower sausages instead of the kabanossi.

Swabian Lentils - Schwäbische Linsen

Dies ist meine Variation eines alten Familenrezepts. Im Grundsatz ist es ein urschwäbisches Gericht, aber im "Exil" hat mein Vater westfälische Mettwürstchen zugefügt.

4 Zwiebeln (geschält und gehackt)
1 Suppenbund (gehackt)
ca. 300-400 g durchwachsener Speck mit Schwarte (in Würfeln von ca. 4-5 cm Kantenlänge)
500 g braune Linsen
4-6 Mettenden (je nach Größe und Geschmack)
Wasser

100 g fetter Speck oder etwas Speiseöl (neutrales, aber Olivenöl geht auch)
1 Zwiebel (gehackt)
3 leichtgehäufte EL Mehl
Salz und Pfeffer

Die Zwiebeln, den Suppenbund, den Speck, die Linsen und die Wurst in einen 6 oder 7 l Schnellkochtopf geben und mit Wasser auffüllen, bis er ca. 2/3 voll ist.
Den Topf verschließen und alles zusammen 30 min. unter Druck garen.
Abdampfen.
Wurst und Speck entnehmen. Das Gemüse durch ein Sieb gießen, aber die Flüssigkeit auffangen.

Im leeren Topf den Speck komplett auslassen oder das Öl erhitzen. Die Zwiebel anschwitzen, bis sie anfängt weich zu werden. Das Mehl zugeben und anbräunen lassen.
Die aufgefangene Flüssigkeit dazugeben und verrühren.

Das Gemüse und das Fleisch zugeben.
Wieder erhitzen und mit Salz und Pfeffer abschmecken.

Mit Spätzle servieren.

(Im schwäbischen Original werden dazu Brühwürstchen gereicht - denn in dem eigentlichen Eintopf sind ja dann keine Würstchen)




This is my variation of an old family recipe. In principle this is a Swabian classic, but in his "exile" my father has added Westphalian Mettwurst (smoked pork sausages).

4 onions (peeled and chopped)
1 soup bunch (chopped): 1 - 2 carrots, 1 leek, 1 slice of celeriac about 1- 1.5 cm thick
approx. 300-400 g streaky smoked bacon with the skin still on (in cubes of about 4-5 cm)
500 g brown lentils
4-6 Mettenden (depending on size and your personal taste) - smoked pork sausages
water

100 g sheer white bacon or some cooking oil (neutral flavor, though olive oil works)
1 onion (chopped)
3 slightly heaped tbsp flour
salt and pepper

Put the onions, the soup bunch, the streaky bacon, the lentils and the sausages in a 6 or 7 l pressure cooker. Fill up with water to about 2/3 full. Close the pot and cook under pressure for 30 min.
De-steam.
Take out the sausages and bacon. Pour the vegetables through a sieve, but keep the liquid.

In the empty pot let out the bacon completely or heat up the oil. Add the onion and fry till it begins to soften. Add flour and brown. Add the cooking liquid from before and stir.

Put the vegetables and meat back in.
Heat up again and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with spaetzle.

(To the Swabian original serve wieners - as there is no sausage in the one pot originally)

Gegrillter Feta - Grilled Feta

Feta
Thymian (getrocknet oder abgezupfte Blättchen) - oder Thymian + Oregano
frischgemahlener Pfeffer
Olivenöl

Feta in ca. 1,5 cm dicke Stücke a 100 g schneiden. (Ich schneide einfach ein Päckchen Feta in der Mitte durch) Von beiden Seiten mit Pfeffer und Thymian bestreuen und mit Olivenöl beträufeln. In Alufolie wickeln.
Die Päckchen 10 min. grillen - der Feta ist wunderbar weich und aromatisch.

Am besten die Päckchen schon einige Stunden zuvor packen, so zieht der Feta noch besser durch.





Feta
Thyme (dried or just the picked leaves) - or thyme + oregano
freshly ground pepper
olive oil

Cut feta in 1.5 cm thick slices of about 100 g each. (I just cut a package of feta in half). Sprinkle both sides with pepper and thyme and drizzle with olive oil.
Wrap in aluminum foil.
Grill packages for about 10 minutes - the feta is now wonderfully soft and aromatic.

The packages are best if packed some hours in advance so that flavors blend even better.

Nusskuchen - Nutcake

Nutcake

batter:

250 g butter
300 g sugar
6 eggs
300 g flour
100 g cornstarch
3 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp Amaretto
200 g ground hazelnuts

a little butter and hazelnuts for the pan

glaze:

water
Amaretto
icing sugar

Beat butter till fluffy. Make alternating additions of eggs and sugar while beating more. Add Amaretto. Little by little stir in the dry ingredients (except for nuts). Last fold in the hazelnuts.
Grease a bundt or tube cake pan (I used the wreath of my springform) and sprinkle with more ground hazelnuts. Fill batter into pan and bake at 180°C for about 50 min.

Cool completely.

Make sugar glaze from Amaretto (thinned) and icing sugar and glaze cake with it.




Nusskuchen

Teig:

250 g Butter
300 g Zucker
6 Eier
300 g Mehl
100 g Stärke
3 TL Backpulver
2 EL Amaretto

200 g gem. Haselnüsse

etwas Butter und Haselnüsse für die Form

Guss:

Wasser
Amaretto
Puderzucker

Butter schaumig rühren. Eier und Zucker abwechselnd unterschlagen. Amaretto zugeben. Die trockenen Zutaten (außer Nüssen) nach und nach unterrühren. Zuletzt die Haselnüsse unterheben.
Eine Kranzform fetten und mit gemahlenen Nüssen ausstreuen. Teig einfüllen und bei 180°C ca. 50 min. backen.

Auskühlen lassen.

Aus Puderzucker und Amaretto (verdünnt) einen Zuckerguss herstellen und den Kuchen damit glasieren.

Rosinenbrot - Raisin Bread

Rosinenbrot

1 Tasse Sauerteigansatz
1/2 Tasse warme Milch
2 EL Butter
3 EL Honig
1/2 EL Salz
3 Tassen Mehl (Type 550)
1/2 P. Trockenhefe (7 g pro P.)
2/3 Tasse Rosinen

Alle Zutaten mischen und kneten, bis ein homogener Teigball (ggf. die Geschmeidigkeit/Trockenheit mit Milch oder Mehl anpassen)

Teig gehen lassen, bis er sich in etwa verdoppelt hat.

Den Laib oben einschneiden und bei 220°C für 35 min.

Dies ist ein sehr schönes Rosinenbrot, das nicht zu süß ist - die Rosinen sind ein sehr angenehmer Gegenpol zur Säure des Teigs. Sehr lecker mit etwas Butter.



Raisin bread

1 cup starter
1/2 cup warm milk
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp salt
3 cups flour (type 550 - white, but not as much as AP- (or bread flour, tipo 00 or something similar) )
1/2 sachet dry yeast (7 g per sachet)
2/3 c. raisins

Mix all ingredients and knead until you have a nice ball of dough (you may have to adjust amounts of milk or flour a bit).

Let the dough rise until it has about doubled.

Cut through the top as usual. Bake at 200°C for 35 min.

This is a very nice raisin bread that is not too sweet - the raisins complement the sourness of the dough nicely. Very nice with a little butter.

Sourdough

On special request the diary of my sourdough.

To start I had the recipe from Jamie Oliver's "Happy Days with the Naked Chef" and the advice I got from someone (Maree) at the internet forum (read the full discussion here).

First (Saturday), I got out the biggest plastic container I had and threw in 500 g of organic whole rye flour. Then I added enough water to make a soft dough. I did not really know how much so I added enough for it to be softer than pizza dough and firmer than spaetzle. Basically a homogenous dough. The rye does not make an elastic dough like wheat, so I was really uncertain. I ended up using about 300 ml of water - a little less might have been enough though.

Then I put the open container out into the spring air (beautiful sunny day) for 1 hour. After that the edges and some of the surface had started to dry out and the whole thing smelled like spring air. I sealed the lid and did nothing for 48 hours. In between the starter became much softer, bubbled and rose. Even when I could not see many bubbles on top the sides and bottom looked a bit like a fizzy drink (that's the beauty of using a clear container).

On the second day (Sunday) the smell had started to go sour. The color had gone a little dull.

On the third day (Monday) I thought it had gone bad because the smell was so strong when I opened the lid. But after the first "wave" it was really the same as Sunday only stronger. I added a generous handful of the same flour and only a little of water until I had the same thickness as on the first day. I resealed the container and put it back in its cosy spot.

On the forth day (Tuesday) I left it alone.

Fifth day (Wednesday) in the evening: I added 1 kg bread flour and some water until I got a firm dough (like the one I know from making pizza or other bread). It made 2.4 kg. I put 500 g of that back in a big plastic container (I switched containers to one that is now reserved for the purpose). The bigger part I kneaded again with a little salt. Then put a floured tea towel into my big round salad bowl and added the dough. That I left in my oven (turned off) to proof.

Day 6 (Thursday morning) after 13 hours of proving I preheated my oven (don't forget to take out the bowl first) to 190°C with the pizza stone on the middle shelf. Then I dusted that with some flour and turned the dough out on it. Cut slits into the tops and baked for 1 hour. The texture and crust came out perfectly, but the dough had spread so quickly that the whole bread was flat like focaccia. Also it was bitingly sour - almost pungent. (But I had been told that the first bread is often like a first pancake, and that the sourness comes from the rye and adding other flours might "dilute" that)

The reserved part of the dough happily bubbled away though.

Friday, early morning I fed the dough again with a hand full of flour and hardly any water at all. Did not have time to bake again though.

Saturday night: figured that 42 hours are almost 48 and added 1kg flour again for baking. This time I used whole spelt meal. Spelt is related to wheat, but has more "glue" and is - I believe - a little sweeter in a good malty way. I thought this might be nice to balance out the rye and its sourness a bit. I added less water this time - kneading was a pain that way, but it resulted in a firm ball this time. I reserved 500 g of that 2 kg chunk again. The rest I added a little salt to and kneaded again. This time a sprayed the tea towel with water to make the flour stick better, floured it, put it in my salad bowl, let it proof over night.

Sunday morning: As the dough has risen so much in my bowl I preheat oven again after only 10 hours. The procedure is the same as Thursday. This time the dough does not spread as much (less liquid and the less rye there is the more thick and elastic it might be) so that the result is a flattish loaf - but a loaf. Texture and crust are very nice, though there is lots of flour baked onto the top (suspect that will get better the more nonstick the towel gets over time). Most of it breaks off when cutting the bread, so it's not really a problem.

The pictures show the finished loaf, a slice of it, and the starter that is happily (audibly and visibly) bubbling away.

2nd loaf made off the starter.

Slice from the middle of that loaf.

This is what the levain looks like on an in-between day (between feedings) The weird blue is the bowl....

A few days later: Am ready for baking again. Kneaded 1 kg into the starter. It then comes up to about 2 kg.

About 500 g of that go back into the weird blue bowl it's been living in.

My salad bowl will keep the dough over night to proof. It is lined with a tea towel that I sprayed with a little water and then floured generously (the water helps the flour to stick to the towel). To the bigger portion of the dough I added 1 tsp salt, about 1/2 - 3/4 tsp coriander seeds (ground) and a generous hand full of sunflower seeds. Now it will sit overnight for about 12-14 hours to be ready for baking tomorrow.

The bowl with the floured towel

The dough just before I put it away for proving. Am continuing to use the oven (turned off!) as a draught free environment for that process.

Mediterranean Seasoning Blend - Mediterrane Gewürzmischung

Mediterrane Gewürzmischung

Mein Mann liebt Döner und Gyros und dergleichen. Auf der Suche nach einer Gewürzmischung, die so in die Richtung geht, habe ich das hier zusammengemischt:

4 Teile frisch gemahlener schwarzer Pfeffer
4 Teile Zwiebelpulver
3 Teile Oregano
2 Teile Koriander (gemahlen)
2 Teile Salz
1 Teil Piment (gemahlen)

In einem Gewürzglas mischen.



Mediterranean Seasoning Blend

My husband loves döner and gyros and such likes. Searching for a similar seasoning I came up with this:

4 parts freshly ground black pepper
4 parts onion powder
3 parts oregano
2 parts coriander seed (ground)
2 parts salt
1 part allspice (ground)

Mix and store in a spice jar.