Syria

 Welcome to Syria!  Syria gained its independence from France in 1946 after WWII.  Syria is home to the oldest library in the world -- in 1974, the ancient city of Ebla was discovered along with around 1,800 clay tablets dating from around 3,000 BC. Syrians are some of the lightest drinkers in the world: the average Syrian consumes just 0.1 liters of alcohol per year.  According to Google, the population of Syria is 24.26 million people and the capital is Damascus.  Their national dish is...

Kibbeh!

They look like little footballs!  However, to make kibbeh, you need to use bulger wheat, which I cannot eat. So it was off to the recipes to find something to make with the kibbeh.  We found Batata Harra (which is a spicy potato), Syrian Salad, and Fattet Djaj, which is a chicken and rice dish.  It was a very full, busy kitchen, but the smells were wonderful.  I did the prep over two days, just to make it easier on myself.  Here's what I did:

KIBBEH

For the shell:

1 lb bulgur wheat

1 1/2 C cold water.

1/2 lb ground beef

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 C onion, diced

1 C plus 2 tbsp water

For the filling:

2 tbsp oil

1 onion, diced

1 lb ground beef

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/2 tsp paprika

1/3 C pine nuts

Iced water for shaping and forming

Oil for frying

1. 1. In a deep bowl, add bulgur wheat and pour water over, cover and let it soak for 30 minutes.
2. 2. In a large skillet, over medium heat, add oil and sauté onions until translucent.
3. 3. Add the ground meat and stir until it is browned. 
4. 5. Add the seasoning, mix well.
5. 6. Turn heat off and stir in the pine nuts.
6. 7. Add the onion, ground beef, salt and pepper to the bulgur wheat and combine well.
7. 8. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of food processor in batches, adding a couple of tablespoons of water and processing until mixed each time. 
8. 9. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes.
9. 10. Fill a measuring cup with cold water and add some ice (this is for when you roll the kibbeh).
10. 11. Prepare a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper and set next to you.
11. 12. Lightly dip your hands in the cold water and take about 3 Tablespoons of the shell mixture then roll into a ball the size of a golf ball.
12. 13. Place the ball in your left hand and using the index finger of the other hand poke a small hole in one end of the ball reaching to the middle of the ball.
13. 14. Gently roll the ball into your left hand while pressing your index finger in a circular motion.
14. Keep doing this until the hole is bigger; make sure not to press too hard on the walls of the kibbeh or it might break or tear.
15. 15. Now take about 3/4 teaspoon of the filling and fill the hole of the kibbeh, do not overstuff.
16. 16. Close the end of the kibbeh by pinching the end together, make sure to dip your fingers in the iced water every now and then.
17. 17. Place the kibbeh on the baking sheet and continue until the whole batch is done.
18. 18. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour,
19. 19. In a deep frying pan add oil enough to cover the kibbeh when put in it.
20. 20. Heat oil on medium-high , between 355F-375F. 
21. 21. Add cold kibbeh and fry for 4 minutes until dark brown.
22. 22. Transfer the Kibbeh to a plate lined with paper towel.
23. 23. Continue until you are done with them all.
24. 24. Serve hot and enjoy!

(Source: Kibbeh)

BATATA HARRA

2 lbs potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes or baby potatoes

3/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper 

1/2 tsp paprika

2 tbsp avocado oil

Cilantro Sauce

2 tbsp avocado oil

1 tsp garlic, minced

1/4 tsp cayenne 

1/2 C cilantro, chopped

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp lemon juice

1. 
   
2. 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
3. 2. Pat the 2 lbs potatoes dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel until they're completely dry.
4. 3. Mix the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika in a medium bowl. 
5. 4. Stir in the avocado oil to make a paste.
6. 5. Add the potatoes to the spice mix and coat evenly until every surface is covered.
7. 6. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat the foil with oil.
8. 7. Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet.
9. 8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and golden in color. 
10. 9. Transfer potatoes to a serving dish.
11. 10. In a small saucepan, saute garlic in avocado oil over medium heat. 
12. 11. Turn the heat down to low and add cayenne and stir briefly. 
13. 12. Stir in cilantro, paprika, and lemon juice. 
14. 13. Stir to combine and remove from heat.
15. 14. Add cilantro garlic sauce to the potatoes. 
16. 15. Stir all ingredients together and serve immediately as a side dish or appetizer.

(Source: Batata Harra)

SYRIAN SALAD WITH ZA'ATAR VINAIGRETTE

4 C Romaine Lettuce, chopped

1 C diced tomato

1 C diced cucumber

1/2 C thinly sliced red onion

1/4 C minced parsley

1/4 C minced fresh mint

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/4 C avocado oil

1/4 C lemon juice

2 tbsp za'atar

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. 1. Place the first six ingredients in a large salad bowl (Romaine through mint)
2. 2. Squeeze juice of one lemon around the bowl, carefully holding your opposite hand underneath to catch the seeds.
3. 3. Using a microplane, grate the garlic directly over the salad.
4. 4. Drizzle salad with oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle with za'atar. 
5. 5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. 6. Gently toss the salad together and enjoy!

(Source: Syrian Salad with Za'atar Vinaigrette)

SYRIAN FATTET DJAJ

1 rotisserie chicken, chopped

3 gluten free pita breads, cut into small squares

Vegetable oil, for frying

3 C cooked rice

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 C plain yogurt

1/4 C tahini

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 C toasted sliced almonds to garnish

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Chopped parsley, to garnish

1. 1. Start by heating the vegetable oil, over medium heat, and frying the pita squares until golden and crispy. 
2. 2. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to soak up the extra grease and set aside.
3. 3. Prepare the sauce by combining the mashed garlic and the yogurt and whisk until smooth. 
4. 4. Add the tahini while whisking and, finally, the lime juice. 
5. 5. Season with salt and pepper and reserve.
6. 6. Make sure your shredded chicken and rice are warm before assembling the Fattet Djaj and work quickly so everything is still warm when you serve it.
7. 7. In a big casserole dish or serving platter, start with the pita squares, evenly distributed in a single layer.
8. 8. The next layer is the rice and finally 2/3 of the chicken.
9. 9. Top with the yogurt sauce and the remaining chicken and finish by sprinkling the toasted nuts, the chopped parsley and the cinnamon. 
10. 10. Serve warm and enjoy!

(Source: Syrian Fattet Djaj)

The verdict?  The Fattet Djaj was ok.  It was a very strange combination of flavors and textures.  I think it needed more seasoning and needed more sauce.  It was slightly dry unless you had a spoonful of sauce.  And the combination of the cinnamon and the yogurt made it slightly sweet, but not icky sweet.  Then you had the soft rice and chicken with the crunchy almonds.  It was a party in your mouth!  The fried pita bread at the bottom didn't add much.  I think it would have been better to fry the pitas and used them as chips and eaten the Fattet Djaj as a dip.  It was also a little bit odd that it is supposed to be served lukewarm... I'm sure the health department would have something to say about that!  The potatoes were good, but had a kick to them!  I would recommend roasting them a bit more so they are more crispy - maybe put them under the broiler for the last 5 minutes.  I didn't care much for the salad.  I think it would have been fine without all the different spices in the za'atar mix, but that's what is unique about the salad!  I think more tomatoes would have been good too :-)  I did forget to take a picture of the salad...oops!  I will let Handsome Husband tell you about the Kibbeh!

The Kibbeh was very interesting. It was firm and almost crunchy, and I had no idea that there was actually ground beef in the shell until I previewed the blog post! Very odd, but it worked! It was a little bit dry and crumbly, but the flavor was mild and nice. The savory flavors were a good addition to the rest of the meal.

    

ME

Taste of Kibbeh (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): NA

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): NA

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): NA

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Kibbeh (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

ME

Taste of Batata Harra (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 3

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Batata Harra (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 1

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

ME

Taste of Syrian Salad (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 5

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Syrian Salad (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

ME

Taste of Fattet Djaj (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Fattet Djaj (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

Hope you enjoyed reading about Syria.  Come with us to Costa Rica next time!

Cameroon

 Welcome to Cameroon!  I attended a webinar at work, and the speaker was from Cameroon.  His presentation was on leadership, and he was hilarious.  But he talked about growing up in Cameroon, and I decided to cook their national dish.  Cameroon is home to the world's largest frog, the Goliath Frog, which can get up to seven pounds!  Cameroon has a lake that is poisonous due to volcanic gas that builds up under it (they now have pipes to vent the gases from the lake).  According to Google, the population is 3.6 million people and the capital is Yaounde.  Their national dish is...

Ndole!

Ndole is a beef and shrimp and bitterleaf stew.  Since I am fresh out of bitterleaf, the recipe said spinach was an acceptable substitute.  Apparently there is a big population of shrimp in Cameroon, which makes sense why it was in the national dish.  I was hoping it wasn't similar to Sierra Leone's Cassava Leaf Soup... which in our house we call "grass soup" because of the taste and the smell. I had my doubts.  Here's what we did:

NDOLE

20 oz spinach

2 C peanuts

1lb beef stew meat

1lb jumbo shrimp

1 onion

1/2 red onion, sliced

6 garlic cloves

2 1-inch pieces ginger

2 sprigs parsley

2 tbsp smoked crayfish

6 C beef broth, divided

2 plantains

1. Wash ripe plantains, cut the tips off and slice into halves. 
2. Using a large enough pot, submerge plantains, bring to a boil and cook until plantains are soft and some of the skins split. 
3. Transfer into a cold water bath and peel off plantain skin once cool enough. 
4. Blend 1/4 of an onion, parsley, 1 garlic clove and a 1-inch piece of ginger. 
5. Put the stew meat in a pot, season with salt and add in blended spices. 
6. Add 3 cups of beef broth to the pot.
7. Bring to a quick boil and simmer for 2 hours. 
8. Boil peanuts for 7-10 minutes. 
9. Blend peanuts (including the water the peanuts boiled in) with half of the onion, remaining ginger and garlic into a paste. (Not too smooth, just a little grainy).
10. Add the smoked crayfish to the peanut blend and add to the pot with the beef.
11. Add the spinach and cook until wilted.
12. Meanwhile, heat oil in a separate pan and pan fry the shrimp until almost cooked. 
13. Remove the shrimp from the pan, and add to the soup pot.
14. Add the remaining red onion slices to the pan and fry until caramelized. 
15. Serve the soup in a bowl with the caramelized onions on top, and the plantains on the side.
16. Enjoy!

(Source: Ndole and Ndole)

The verdict?  It wasn't bad!  I wasn't sure I was a fan of it (it has a strong smoked crayfish smell), and the grainy texture of the peanuts was weird.  But the more I ate it, the more I liked it.  Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it with the plantain - and I don't like plantains!  It gave the soup a sweetness that cut the smoked crayfish smell and taste.  Handsome Husband said it was OK, and agreed the more we ate, the better it got.  Overall good, but not great.

ME

Taste of Ndole (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Ndole (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

Join us next time in Cabo Verde!

Slovenia

 Welcome to Slovenia!  I've heard this is an amazingly beautiful country, so naturally it is on my list of countries to visit.  More than half of the country is forest, which makes Slovenia one of the greenest countries in the world.  Apparently people in Slovenia love wine, and it is said that there is a vineyard for every 70 people in Slovenia!  According to Google, the population is about two million people, and the capital is Ljubljana.  Their national dish is...

Štruklji and Veal!

It is a dumpling-like meal served along veal.  I was fresh out of veal, but thanks to Handsome Husband, we substituted elk meat.  I read that buckwheat Štruklji was the traditional way to make it, so that's what I did.  I made two different types of Štruklji - one traditional, and one dessert.  This meal was pretty straightforward. Sorry that the measurements are wonky...hopefully you have a kitchen scale.  Here's what I did:

ŠTRUKLJI  AND  VEAL

Veal Steak

Elk Steak

Dough

200 g of buckwheat flour 

100 g of gluten free flour

1/2 tsp xanthan gum 

1 tbsp of sour cream 

Salt to taste

300 ml of boiled water

1 tbsp oil

Filling

400 g of cottage cheese

180 g of sour cream 

2 eggs

salt to taste

3 tbsp gluten free bread crumbs

1. Drain any excess water out of cottage cheese and sour cream first. 
2. Once drained, put the drained cottage cheese and sour cream into a large bowl, add all the other filling ingredients, and mix well. 
3. Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes to thicken.
4. Slowly pour boiled water over the dry ingredients for the dough and mix with a wooden spoon well so that everything gets wet. 
5. Set aside to cool down. 
6. Make the dough by adding sour cream and oil and mix with your hands.
7. The dough should be soft but must not stick to your hands. 
8. When finished spread oil all over the dough and wrap it in foil to rest for a few minutes.
9. Roll out the dough until it is about 1/8 of an inch thick.
10. Spread the filling over 2/3 of the dough. 
11. Roll the dough into a roll and cut the long roll in half.
12. Wrap the rolls in parchment paper and tie the sides.
13. Put the rolls into salted boiling water; 2/3 of the roll will be submerged. 
14. Cook covered on low heat for about 20 minutes. 
15. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let them sit in the water for an additional 10 minutes. 
16. Heat a cast iron skillet on the stove on medium-high heat.
17. Add the elk and whatever spices you like and cook until medium rare.
18. Unwrap the rolls, slice into sections and serve warm with the meat!

(Source: Štruklji)

ŠTRUKLJI APPLE DUMPLINGS

2 red apples

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

50 g caster sugar

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp raisins

1 large sheet of gluten free puff pastry

260 g cottage cheese

1 egg

Icing sugar, to serve

1.  Peel and core the apples, and cut the flesh into fairly small dice. 
2. Add to a small saucepan with the lemon juice, sugar, spices and raisins and cook for around 5 minutes over a medium heat, until fairly soft.
3. Meanwhile, roll out the puff pastry until it is about 12x14 inches and about 1/8 inch thick.
4. In a small bowl, combine the cottage cheese and egg, and mix well.
5. Spread the cottage cheese mixture over one half of the pastry, and top with the apple mixture.
6. Starting from one of the short ends of the rectangle (choose the end that you covered with filling), tightly roll the pastry. 
7. Wrap the pastry roll tightly in parchment paper, and tie the ends with string.
8. Place the roll in a large pot of water (it will float), and bring to a boil. 
9. Cook for around 30 minutes, then drain. 
10. When the roll is cool enough to handle, cut the string, and unwrap the parchment paper. 
11. Cut the štruklji into slices, and serve topped with a sprinkle of icing sugar.
12. Enjoy!

(Source: Štruklji Apple Dumplings)

The verdict?  I did not care for the Štruklji at all.  The elk was great!  But neither version of the Štruklji was good. The texture was very doughy (which is what it was supposed to be) and the cottage cheese added a texture and taste that I didn't care for at all.  I did like the taste of the buckwheat - it had a very earthy taste.  But the texture did it in for me.  The apple dumpling Štruklji didn't have much flavor, even with the apples and spices.  However, Handsome Husband liked it and thought the flavors were great.  To each their own, I guess!

     

ME

Taste of Štruklji and Veal (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Štruklji and Veal (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

ME

Taste of Štruklji Apple Dumplings (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 4

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Štruklji Apple Dumplings (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 7

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

Join us in Singapore next time!

Venezuela

 Welcome to Venezuela!  With everything going on in the news, I thought this may be an appropriate time to make their national dish.  So, we took a detour from Slovenia and went here instead!  Venezuela is home to the world's tallest uninterrupted waterfall, which is Angel Falls (and it looks stunning!).  It is home to the world's largest rodent, the capybara, and has more land dedicated to conservatorship than any other country.  According to Google, the population is 28.5 million people and the capital is Caracas.  Their national dish is...

Pabellón Criollo!

It's a rice and beans meal with some meat.  To go with Pabellón Criollo, we made Chicha, which is similar to Horchata.  Let me tell you, this meal took some time to prep and had a lot of different components!  I had to read and re-read the recipes to get things figured out and then time everything out to make it.  I also made fried plantains to go with it, as I read that this is a common addition to the meal.  Here's what I did:

PABELLON CRILLO

Black Beans

1 small package of black beans

6 C water

2 bay leaves

Sofrito

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

4 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp cumin

1/2 tbsp  paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Shredded Beef 

4 lb flank steak

6 C water

1 onion, cut in quarters

1 carrot, chopped

1 bell pepper

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 bunch of cilantro

1 bunch of parsley

Salt, to taste

Sauce of The Beef 

2 tablespoons avocado oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

14 oz can of diced tomatoes and 1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tbsp curry

1 tsp paprika

Meat broth (left from boiling the beef)

Chili flakes, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large container, wash the beans very well under running water and discard any beans that float.
2. Put the black beans in a large pot, add the water and the bay leaves, and cook over medium heat for 1 hour and a half or until you see that the beans are soft. 
3. Meanwhile, prepare the sofrito. 
4. Put the sofrito ingredients in a blender and blend until well mixed and the consistency of salsa.
5. Place this sauce in a pot with a lid and cook for about fifteen minutes over low heat.
6. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. When the beans have softened, add the sofrito to the beans and cook over low heat for about 30 more minutes so that the broth thickens a bit, add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Place the meat in a large pot.
9. Add the pieces of onion, carrot, celery, the chopped peppers and the bunches of cilantro and parsley to the pot with the meat.
10. Cover with water, cover the pot and cook for 2 hours over medium heat, or until the meat is fall-apart tender. 
11. Remove the meat from the pot and let it rest for about 5 minutes before shredding it. 
12. With the help of two forks, shred the still hot meat into thin and long strands.
13. In a frying pan, brown the onion and garlic in avocado oil until they are translucent.
14. Add cumin, curry, paprika and stir.
15. Add a little of the meat broth.
16. Add the shredded meat, the bell peppers, and the chopped tomato, and mix all the ingredients. 
17. If you see that the meat is a bit dry, add more broth.
18. Let cook covered and over low heat for about 15 minutes so that all the flavors mingle. 
19. Season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes to taste.
20. Serve with white rice and fried plantains, and enjoy!

(Source: Pabellón Criollo)

CHICHA

1/2 C rice

3 C water

1 C milk

1/2 can condensed milk

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1. Soak the rice in 1 cup of water from 2 to 12 hours.
2. Rinse the rice and cook it in a pot with 3 cups of water. 
3. Cook it for 40 minutes with the cinnamon stick until the rice is extremely soggy and can’t absorb more water. 
4. Let it chill and remove the cinnamon stick.
5. Blend the rice, milk, condensed milk, salt, ground cinnamon and nutmeg. 
6. Blend on high speed for 5 minutes. You can add more milk if you feel that the chicha is too thick.
7. Top with extra sweetened condensed milk and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
8. Enjoy!

(Source: Chicha)

The verdict?  It was OK.  This is one of very few South American dishes that we didn't just love.  The meat was quite chewy, which made it hard and unpleasant to eat.  The flavors were good, but the texture not so much.   I think it would have been better if the meat was barbequed or cooked another way.  Boiling it didn't make it great.  I used the extra meat broth to make the rice - this was a good move!  It was delicious!  I couldn't eat the beans, so Handsome Husband will have to speak to the beans.  I wasn't a fan of the chicha - I don't think that I blended it long enough.  It was quite grainy.  All in all, the meal was OK, but not one we plan to repeat.

The beans -- they were beans. Nothing special and pretty bland, which was disappointing after sampling the sofrita and really liking the vibrant flavors. But even plain beans always manage to be at least a little bit good, so they still get a decent rating.

ME

Taste of Pabellón Criollo (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Pabellón Criollo (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

ME

Taste of Chicha (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 3

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 3

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Chicha (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

Another South American country down!  Join us next time (for real) in Slovenia!

Germany

Welcome to Germany!  I've been wanting to do Germany in October, but the last four years haven't allowed me to do that.  This time, we barely made it!  Germany is a bucket list country, and I think that may be the truth for many people.  The country looks beautiful, and the history is fascinating.  According to Google, the population of Germany is 84 million people and the capital is Berlin.  Their national dish is...

 

 

Sauerbraten!

It literally means "sour meat". Sounds appetizing, right?  Along with the sauerbraten, we made Kartoffelpuffer, which is a German potato pancake, Rotkohl, which is a red cabbage slaw, and a German apple cake with streusel topping.  This meal took a while (2 weeks!) to get ready, so if you're going to make it, plan ahead!  Here's what we did:

SAUERBRATEN

Marinade

2 onions, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped

1 large leek, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

2 bay leaves

4 tsp gin

6 whole cloves

10 peppercorns, cracked

2 1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

2 C red wine

1 1/2 C red wine vinegar

1 C beef broth

 

Roast

3-4 lb pot roast

2 tbsp avocado oil

10 gluten free gingersnap cookies, crushed

1. In a large pot, combine all of the marinade ingredients.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, boil for 10 minutes, then cool completely.
3.  Put the pot roast in a freezer bag and pour in the cooled marinade to marinate for 10 days.
4. Remove the roast from the marinade and pat dry using paper towels.
5. Do not discard the marinade!  Keep it for later.
6. In a dutch oven, heat oil over high heat.
7. When the oil is hot, sear the roast on all sides until it is browned, then pour the marinade into the dutch oven with the meat.
8. Bring the liquids to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer.
9. Simmer for 3 hours, or until the meat is tender.
10. Remove the meat from the dutch oven and set it aside to rest.
11. Meanwhile, strain the marinade, discarding the solids and reserving the liquids.
12. Return the liquids to the dutch oven. 
13. Add the crushed gingersnap cookies to the reserved liquid.
14. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the gravy has thickened.
15. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
16. Slice the sauerbrauten into thin slices and serve with the hot gravy.
17. Enjoy!

(Source: Sauerbraten)

KARTOFFELPUFFER

2 1/2 lbs gold potatoes, peeled and very finely grated (raw)

1 onion, very finely grated

2 eggs

1/2 C gluten free flour (or more if needed)

1 tsp salt (more to taste)

Oil, for frying

1. Thoroughly remove the liquid in the grated potatoes by putting them in a tea towel and wringing out the liquid.
2.  Place the drained grated potatoes in a medium-sized bowl with the grated onions, eggs, flour and salt.
3. Use your hands to mix the ingredients together into a tacky mixture.
4. Heat a few tbsp oil in a pan over medium-high heat and place 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the mixture in the hot pan and flatten into pancakes.
5. Fry on both sides for 3-5 minutes, until they are golden.
6. Serve hot and enjoy!

(Source: Kartoffelpuffer)

ROTKOHL

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, diced

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped

1 head red cabbage, sliced very thin

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 C apple juice

1 tbsp sugar

1 bay leaf

2 whole cloves

1 tsp gin

1/2 tsp salt

1. Melt the butter in a large pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion and apples and saute for 7-10 minutes, until soft.
3. Add the cabbage to the onions and apples, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer.
5. Simmer for 1 hour until cabbage is soft.
6. Serve warm or cold.
7. Enjoy!

(Source: Rotkohl)

GERMAN APPLE CAKE WITH STRUESEL TOPPING

Shortbread Crust

175 g gluten free flour

50 g sugar

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 tsp salt

145 g butter, cubed and chilled

 

Apple Filling

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced

3/4 C unsweetened applesauce

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1/4 tsp cinnamon

 

Streusel Topping

1 C gluten free flour

1/2 C cold butter, cubed

1/2 C sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.
3. Add the flour, sugar, xanthan gum, and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine.
4. Add the butter and pulse until fully incorporated and you get a mixture of smaller breadcrumb-like pieces.
5. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and press to compact it into an even layer.
6. Put it in the fridge until later.
7. In a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, cinnamon, and applesauce.
8. Spoon the apple filling in an even layer over the shortbread dough that was in the fridge.
9. In another large bowl, cut the butter into the flour and sugar using a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs.
10. Squeeze handfuls of streusel topping together to create larger clumps, then sprinkle the streusel over the apple filling.
11. Bake for 45 minutes until lightly golden brown on on top and the apples are soft.
12. Cool completely, and then cut into squares and serve cold.
13. Enjoy!

(Source: German Apple Cake with Streusel Topping and Shortbread Crust)

The verdict?  This was a favorite, for sure. Handsome Husband declared that the gravy for the sauerbraten was the best brown gravy he had ever had!  We will be doing this roast again.  The original recipe called for juniper berries instead of gin, so I will try those next time.  I just couldn't find them in time.  I also couldn't find gluten free gingersnap cookies, so I also made those on my own.  We did have to plan ahead in order to marinate it for 10 days, but I think it was worth it.  That meat was so tender!  I subbed the juniper berries for gin in the rotkohl as well, and it worked well.  I liked the rotkohl, but didn't care for the mushy apples in it.  The textures were strange together.  The kartoffelpuffer were not anything special - typical potato pancake, but they were very good with the gravy.  It almost gave it an apple taste.  We were disappointed in the apple cake.  Usually apples, cinnamon and sugar go great together, but it just wasn't great.  That said, we were compelled to eat it.  Go figure!  We ended up tossing the leftovers.  The sauerbraten was the winner of this meal!

 

 

ME

Taste of Sauerbraten (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 9

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Sauerbraten (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 9

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 10

 

ME

Taste of Kartoffelpuffer (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Kartoffelpuffer (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 4

 

ME

Taste of Rotkohl (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 6

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of Rotkohl (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 6

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 7

 

ME

Taste of German apple cake with streusel topping (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 5

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

HANDSOME HUSBAND

Taste of German apple cake with streusel topping (1 is terrible, 10 is amazing): 5

Spicy (hot) (1 is not at all spicy, 10 is uneatable): 0

Flavor (1 is no flavor, 10 is packed with flavor): 5

 

Join us next time in Georgia!