Gastronomy

GERMAN FOOD

German cuisine varies greatly from region to region. The southern regions of Bavaria and Swabia share many dishes among them and with their neighbours to the south, Switzerland and Austria.

GERMAN ONION PIE

4 thick slices of bacon, diced
2 cups peeled and chopped yellow onion
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sour cream
1 tblsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 9-inch pie shell, unbaked
 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees f

Saute bacon. Drain most of the fat from the pan. Add the onions and saute
until clear. Do not brown. Set aside to cool.

Beat the eggs and sour cream together in a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle the
flour over the top and beat it in. Stir in the salt and pepper.

Prick the bottom of the pie shell several times with a fork. Spread the
onions and bacon over the bottom of the pie shell. Pour the sour cream mixture over the top.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees f and bake for another 15
minutes or until pie is nicely browned. Serve hot!

SAUERBRATEN

Use for 4-6 servings:

1kg     piece of beef (e.g. from the upper back hip, no usual roast beef!)
1/4 l   vinegar from red whine or a mixture 50:50 red whine and vinegar
2 bay   leafs
2 tblsp whole black pepper
2 big   onions
1 big   carrot
200g    potatoes 
1/4 l   bouillon
2 tblsp creme fraiche (or sour cream)
salt, pepper, oil

1. Place meat in a high dish, fill with vinegar (or mixture) 
until covered. Add bay leafs and pepper grains and place dish in the
refrigerator. Leave there for 2-3 days, turn meat around at least once.

2. Get meat out of marinade and dry. Spice meat with pepper all around.

3. Cut onions, carrots and potatoes in little cubes. 
Heat oil, place meat in it and roast until brown from all sides.
Add onions until brown, too.

4. Salt the meat, add potatoes and carrots, then the bouillon, and, optionally,
some more red whine (esp. if you used only vinegar before).
Add also a little of the marinade (without leafs and pepper).

5. Simmer for at least 1 1/2 hours on low heat in a closed pot, turn once. 

6. Get meat out of the pot and keep warm.
Puree the sauce, let reduce a little. Add creme fraiche or sour creme,
add salt and pepper to your taste.

7. Cut meat into slices, serve.

Traditional side dishes are potatoes or Kloesse (dumplings), 
and some vegetable like Rotkraut (that is hot red crabbage).

In some areas of germany, they add raisins and sliced apples to the sauce
so that it gets a more sweet-and-sour taste.