Duvel

Neko as in neko-chan (=cat) ???

Staying at my in-laws at a small village just north of Barcelona. My son requested pizza and with unknown flour in an unknown oven I was a bit nervous. Turned out satisfactory and both the little one and the in-laws requested a repetition in the upcoming days ... Mushroom and sausage Half mushroom & salami, half anchovies & olives Enjoyed with one of the newer small batch spanish beers (Middle one: sorry, only store photo) ...

Christmas breakfast ... Cheese and Mett ... Bread, shrimps, Guac (not really a German breakfast item, but why not ...) Cold cuts ... Brioche with homemade marmalades ...

Point taken. Therefore we had Weisseurst the following day - my area produces a “Christmas sausage”, essentially a Weisswurst, heavy on the ginger and the lemon peel. Sold only one special day before Christmas. It comes in hog casings, so you can (very carefully) grill it. As every year, it was well received (with potato purée and sauerkraut, of course - German Christmas seems to be all about the spuds and cabbage derivatives) ...

Looking back at yesterday’s dinner I have to say that it was very, very satisfying: with minimum effort in terms of preparation and easy timing (sv after one another and finish in oven and pan in parallel), one could dish out perfectly cooked breasts & legs at the same time. Easily scalable too ... My family was very happy with both preparations and I will keep that combo in my books for easy entertaining guests.

A common misconception: the famous German breed “Alt-Göttinger Quakenschnabel” doesn’t have four legs, just one half breast. You are looking at two specimens ...

Did my duck yesterday - am pretty sure it would work nicely with goose as well. Legs: rubbed with salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary. Cured for 24h in the fridge. 30h @ 68oC. Cooled down, blotted dry and finished in a preheated oven, 250 oC convection with grill for about 10 min. Breasts: skin scored, rubbed with salt, pepper, quatre epice. 3h @ 54oC. Quickly wiped dry and pressed into a very hot pan for 90 secs to crisp up the skin. Served with red cabbage and sweet potato puree, classic gravy (not pictured).

You fry chopped onions in goose/duck fat or lard until well browned. Add finely chopped kale, add stock (ideally same animal, but any will do), bit of salt and nutmeg. Boil. Boil more. Together maybe 2h, then adjust seasonings, maybe pepper as well. Refridgerate overnight (this is important). Next day reheat, add a bit of oatmeal to adjust to a smooth consistency, boil for about 30 min more. Final adjustment of seasoning. Enjoy !

I am doing the same with two ducks this year. Planning on SV at 135h for two hours, though. Shouldn’t matter ... For the confit I use the pretteatment of Keller’s Bouchon. Sauce is regular red wine reduction with some red currant preserve stirred in. Sides will be very traditional - potato Knödel with brown butter and roasted breadcrumbs, red cabbage with apples and a serving of Grünkohl (of course).

“Sturmfest und erdverwachsen” - the official hymn of lower saxony ...

Then maybe I need to do a German foodblog 😉 BTW: I am 100% from lower saxony ...

Below 0 oC today. Tradition dictates to have “Grünkohl” (kale, boiled into submission with ample amounts of pork fat and caramelized onions). Todays addions were Mettwurst (cured and cooked sausage), Mettenden (another cured and cooked sausage) and Kassler (cured and boiled pork collar). And potatoes, just for the carbs. Traditionally, beer and Korn would be in order, but I chose Whiskey highball as a low carb alternative ...

It’s for your libraries staff meeting, right ? Just call it “Frodo’s Lembas bread” and offer mulled wine for dipping. I guarantee there will be no complaints ...

Traditionally, gouda was mixed with onions, oil and vinegar and left to age for a few days. Served with butter on a rye roll and topped with the onions it is strangely called “Halve Hahn” (“half a chicken”) ... Nowadays middle-aged gouda is usually used and topped with quick-pickled or raw onions ...

Something small and pleasing (key is frying in lard) ...

Right before Christmas time ... the McCurryWurst. A riff on one of the most popular German native fast food itens. Not too bad ...

A dear Japanese friend is visiting me at the moment. I took her to Cologne to see the Cathedral, drink plenty of Kölsch and visit the Christmas markets ... First station: “Früh am Dom”: Mett, pickled Gouda, liver sausage - all on rye rolls (“Röggelche”). “Himmel un’ Ääd” - Fried blood sausage und potato-apple mash, topped with fried onions. Fantastic ! A bit overcrowded Christmas market ... “Glühwein” Hot chocolate ... Heading back to the train stationa quick stop at “Sion’s” ... Fun times ...

I do like the concept of a low carb mash, but mine have been disappointing so far. Would you mind sharing your method ?

Recently found out that a work colleague has a hunting license. He was happy to get me a saddle of venison, that I had intended as this years Christmas dish. Tonight in a simple prep, with red cabbage, Schupfnudeln and mushroom cream sauce. Meat is excellent, more has been ordered for December ... Enjoyed with two winter/Christmas beers from Strasbourg ...

Me neither ... was prepared to read something like „empty can of tuna found on premises“

It is basically an odd shaped Gnocchi. 750 g potatoes, boiled and „steamed out“ in the oven for some minutes to dry, then riced. Added one full egg, one egg yolk, salt and nutmeg. Slowly mix, add 100-125 g flour (depending on moisture level). Mix, shape into a log, cut into pieces and shape ... Boil in plenty of salted water until they rise to the surface. Shock in ice water, drain and finish in hot butter in a pan.

Goose ...

Tonight an odd combination of oven-roasted chicken wings and - because there were only six of them - Schupfnudeln with mushroom cream sauce ... Enjoyed with a 2019 Chimay.

No really a disagreement, just a better kitchen machine on your side 😉

Last weeks salmon (Lufthansa, FRA-EWR) was quite decent ...