Category Archives: OKTOBERFEST & GERMAN RECIPES

BLACK FOREST SHEET CAKE

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How the top looks

A cut piece of cake

This Black Forest Cake can be made 2 ways. My way or my other way. Allow me to explain.

I needed a large sheet cake to serve roughly 40 people. I knew I wanted to make a Black Forest Cake because I was serving Octoberfest food. But making food for that many people requires planning. And refrigerator space.

So, I decided as the top layer of my Black Forest sheet cake, I would use frosting rather than whipped cream. Made sense at the time. (I would have to refrigerate this huge sheet cake if I used whipped cream. Whereas frosting would be fine sitting on top of the cake at room temperature for a few hours.)

So, as planned, I served this cake to 36 people yesterday. And not one of them told me they never wanted me to serve this dessert again. In fact, the guests I heard from proclaimed it a winner. And to top things off, my dear friend Margo requested this cake for her upcoming birthday. So, there you go.  

What I told a few of our guests, and now I am telling you, was that I glommed this recipe together using my all-time favorite chocolate cake recipe. Then for the sauce, I agonized over whether to use some kind of cherry liqueur or cherry flavored brandy (think Kirschwasser) in the sauce. But finally, I chose to use bourbon, my favorite liquor to flavor everything from caramel sauce to BBQ sauce. And I think I made the right decision. Because bourbon lends such a lovely sweetness to all kinds of dishes, and it didn’t fail me in the cheery sauce either.

Since I was under cooking/baking time restraints, not to mention refrigerator space limitations, I made the cake on Wednesday and froze it. Then I made the cherry sauce on Thursday and refrigerated it. I left making the frosting until Sunday morning, the day of the home concert. And using frosting rather than whipped cream topping on the cake, I could leave the cake on a counter until needed.

At 5:00 am Sunday morning I woke up in a panic. How in the wide world of sports was I going to spread frosting over a sauce? (And why hadn’t I considered this aspect of putting the cake together a bit earlier?) But here I was on Sunday morning with 36 hungry mouths to feed (including Andy and me) and our guests due to arrive at 1:00 pm. And of course, with a lot of other last-minute food details that needed my attention.

So, Mr. C. took the cake out of the freezer when he first got up Sunday morning. A little while later I slathered on the cherry sauce, and then the fun began. (Just as I had predicted would happen at 5:00 am.)

Frosting absolutely does not like being spread over sauce. In fact, it rebels at the very thought of being accommodating to the poor cook who failed to take this fact of nature into consideration. But I won in the end. As will you if you decide to make this cake and use frosting instead of at the last-minute slathering on a thick coating of whipped cream. But truly, either using a butter cream frosting or a lovely cherry flavored whipped cream, it matters not. Both are going to make for one darn good piece of cake. And perfect for this time of year.

Well, that’s it for today. If you want to know how I made it work (spreading frosting over a sauce) you’ll just have to read the directions below. And yes, I made a double batch of the cake batter, cherry sauce, and the frosting to feed my guests. A bit left, but then that’s a win for Mr. C. and me!

And with that, as always, I wish you peace and love.

CHOCOLATE CAKE:  

1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature

3 c. packed brown sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

1 T. vanilla extract

3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour. fluffed

¾ c. cocoa powder

1 T. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

1 rounded tsp. instant espresso powder

1½ c. water

1-1/3 c. sour cream

Cream the butter and brown sugar together. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder. Add to creamed mixture alternately with water and sour cream, beating well after each addition.

Pour into a greased and lightly floured 10×16-inch cake pan, or 1 9×13-inch cake pan and 1 8×8-inch cake pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Don’t over-bake! Remove from oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Or freeze until needed.  

TART CHERRY SAUCE WITH BOURBON:  

2 lbs. frozen pitted tart cherries, halved

¼ c. bourbon

6 T. cherry juice (from defrosted cherries)

2 T. cornstarch

¾ c. granulated sugar

Place the frozen cherries in a colander set over a bowl. Allow the cherries to thaw. (This takes several hours.) Save the juice for this recipe and for the buttercream frosting or whipped cream topping.

Whisk the bourbon, cherry juice, and cornstarch together in a large heavy pot. Add the sugar and defrosted cherries. Bring to a boil, stirring to avoid burning.  

Once the sauce thickens up a bit, remove from heat, cool, and refrigerate until needed. (It will thicken up more as it cools.)

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

½ c. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 T. cherry juice (from thawing the frozen cherries), or more if needed

tiny pinch of kosher salt

4 c. powdered sugar, or more as needed

whole milk or heavy cream, if needed

Beat the butter until soft and fluffy. Add the vanilla, cherry juice, and kosher salt, mixing until thoroughly combined.

Add the powdered sugar on low speed. Add more cherry juice or milk or cream a few teaspoons at a time until the frosting is light and fluffy and to your desired consistency. (The frosting needs to be very soft to spread over the cherry sauce.) (And I use the term “spread” very lightly!)

WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

2 c. (1 pint) heavy whipping cream, or more if you like lots of whipped cream

½ tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, or more to taste

2 tsp. cherry juice, or more to taste

6 T. powdered sugar, or more to taste

Whip the cream to hard peaks. Add the vanilla bean paste, cherry juice, and powdered sugar. Whip until blended.

ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:

chocolate shavings

Top with Frosting:

Spread the cherry filling over the cooled cake with an offset spatula. Place the cake in your freezer and chill for 30 minutes to set.

Taking small dollops of frosting at a time, gently spread the frosting over cherry filling with an offset spatula. The sauce will come through during this process, but it looks nice and tastes wonderful. Top with chocolate shavings.

The cake can sit at room temperature for several hours.

Top with Whipped Cream:

Carefully spread the whipped cream evenly over the cherry sauce. Top with chocolate shavings. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve, but not more than 2-3 hours.   

PRETZEL DINNER ROLLS      

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Well, here it is again – Autumn and with it – Octoberfest. Now, I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love this time of year. I love the food associated with Fall and Octoberfest. I love the leaves turning brilliant colors on deciduous trees. (Not the leaves when they hit the ground, but that’s another story.) I also love the slight chill in the air in the evening and first thing in the morning. And I especially love that it is once again open season on soup. And comfort food like casseroles and homemade bread. And I absolutely adore the coziness our fake fireplace brings to our living room while we sit happily in front of it while reading in the evening. (Our cat Miles loves the extra bit of warmth also. So much so, that his kitty bed is now permanently ensconced on the floor between our chairs.)   

So, in considering the menu for this Sunday’s JazzVox pre-concert meal, I decided Central European food would be perfect.

I have used Octoberfest as the theme for other concert meals over the years and remembered that people absolutely love my Light Rye Bread (recipe on blog). So, not wanting to mess with a good thing, I decided to stick with what I know people will like. So, Light Rye Bread it is!

But for dinner the other evening, I decided to make pretzel rolls to go along with our soup. I thought the rolls might be a nice addition to the Octoberfest meal. And yes, they would be great. But this old gal can only spend so much time on her feet anymore. So, the pretzel rolls will just have to wait for another time. Even though they were quick and easy to build, they were still one dish too many for me to prepare and still remain sane! Sigh……

But I don’t have to wait to share this recipe with you! And if you are anything like me when it comes to soft pretzels and think that soft pretzels prove the existence of a higher being, then you are going to love this recipe. Easy to make, takes less time than making most other yeast breads, and tastes as good as Auntie Anne’s. Of course, they are not in the traditional pretzel shape that we all love and cherish. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s not the shape that counts. It’s how they taste. And they taste incredible!

So, I recommend you make these rolls at your earliest convenience. Or even if it’s not convenient, do it anyway. They are just that good.

But don’t forget the mustard to serve with these pretzel rolls. My favorite – plain old yellow mustard.

So, happy Octoberfest and Autumn to all. And as always – peace and love to each and everyone.  

1½ c. warm water + 6 c. water, divided

1 pkg. or a scant T. instant or active dry yeast  

unsalted butter, room temp.  

1 T. brown sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

3 – 4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

veggie oil, for greasing the bowl

2 T. baking soda

coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

Mix the yeast, 1½ cups slightly warm water, 1 tablespoon butter, and brown sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until bubbles appear.

Add salt and 3 cups of flour. Mix with the dough hook and knead for at least 3 minutes until the dough is smooth, silky, and no longer tacky. Add additional flour as necessary. (The dough should be slightly sticky, but not tacky.)

Pour a small amount of oil in the bowl. Using your hands and a sturdy spatula, form the dough into a greased ball. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for 1 hour or until nearly doubled in size.

Meanwhile lightly butter two 8×8-inch baking pans. (Or use whatever pan or pans you have that are roughly 8×16-inches.)

Once risen, punch the dough to release any air bubbles. Divide the dough into 18 balls, approximately the same size, and place on a piece of parchment paper. (I just pinch off 18 pieces of dough. Then I take bits and pieces off larger chunks and add to smaller pieces until I have roughly even size pieces. To form the balls, I just keep tucking under each piece until I have a nicely shaped ball.)  

Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Bring the baking soda and the remaining 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot.

Drop 3-4 pretzel balls at a time into the boiling water for about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spatula or flat spider strainer (see picture below), lift the pretzel rolls out of the water and place back on the parchment paper. (Placing the rolls back on the parchment paper allows some of the water to drain off.) When all have had their bath, place the pretzel rolls close together in the prepared baking pans. (9 in each pan.) Using a pair of scissors, cut an “X” about ½-inch deep on each roll.   

 Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter and lightly brush each roll with the melted butter, then sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a light golden brown and the internal temperature of the rolls reaches at least 190-degrees.

Remove from the oven and serve warm or at room temperature. With lots of mustard to dip in with each tender bite.   

 

CABBAGE CASSEROLE WITH MEATBALLS (LAZY COOK CABBAGE ROLLS)

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Once again it’s Oktoberfest time in the city. And most years when we host a JazzVox concert in September, I serve a German themed meal before the concert. Well, this year is no different. Except this year I am expanding my geographic area to include food from some of the neighboring countries. After all, they celebrate Oktoberfest too. I mean really. Who doesn’t like a big old party featuring beer, rich food, and 16-18 days of revelry? Not we Washingtonians, that’s for darned sure. We have Leavenworth, which prides itself on celebrating Oktoberfest 365 days a year! Take that Munich! (Munich may host more than 6 million people each year for the 16-18 days, but our very own Leavenworth has endurance, 365 days a year, and that counts for something!) But back to this recipe.

I love cabbage rolls. But cabbage rolls for 30 some people – I think not! Just the thought of removing the core of several cabbages, boiling the cabbages until the leaves are softened enough to pull off individually, then gently removing the leaves as they become tender and setting them aside to drain and cool seemed like just too onerous a task. (Yah think!) So I decided to simplify the process so that I could still serve cabbage and savory meat to my guests, while at the same time avoiding a trip to our local hospital for exhaustion or a home for elderly nitwits who have delusions of being able to work like they were still in their thirties!

Now if you have already perused this recipe, you know there is still an average amount of work involved in preparing this dish. I simply couldn’t deprive you of the wonderful meat filling that is the reason for cabbage rolls in the first place. (The cabbage is really just there to justify all the time and energy you put into growing the darn things in the first place.) But please note, the Meatballs don’t take all that much time to prepare, and the Sauce and Topping are only about 3 minute tasks.

So get into the September spirit and fix this casserole for your family and friends before winter sets in. And if you’re interested, I posted my menu for this coming Sunday at the bottom of this post. (Guests attending the concert – no fair peeking!)

Cabbage Base:

  • ½ medium-large green cabbage (about 1 lb.), cored and cut into ¾-inch strips
  • ½ yellow onion, chopped, divided
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 T. chicken or vegetable stock
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • crushed red pepper flakes

Place the cabbage pieces in a lightly greased 9×13-inch gratin or baking dish. Scatter the cabbage with half of the chopped onion. Drizzle veggies with the olive oil and stock. Lightly sprinkle with kosher salt, pepper, and a scant amount of crushed red pepper flakes. Cover tightly with foil or lid, and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 1 hour. While the cabbage bakes, prepare the meatballs, sauce, and topping.

Meatballs:

  • 2 tsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tsp. Hungarian paprika, divided
  • pinch of ground cloves
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 can (14-oz.) diced tomatoes plus juice (canned Italian tomatoes are the best), divided
  • 1 egg
  • ½ c. cooked rice (white or brown)
  • ½ lb. lean ground beef
  • ½ lb. ground chicken
  • 1 T. minced fresh parsley

Heat the vegetable oil in a small frying pan. Add the remaining half onion and gently fry until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for one minute. Transfer the onion and garlic to a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk in 1½ teaspoons of the paprika, cloves, salt, pepper, 1/3 cup of the diced tomatoes, and the egg. Gently stir in the cooked rice, ground beef, ground chicken, and parsley. Using a good sized ice cream scoop, form balls and lay them in a single layer on a sheet of waxed paper. Set aside. (I get 11 meatballs when I use my #16, 2-inch diameter scoop.) For information on ice cream/portion scoops, see The Real Scoop at bottom of post.

Note: You can use all ground beef or all ground chicken in the meatballs. I use both because I like the combination in these meatballs.

Sauce:

  • 1½ c. sour cream, divided
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together the remainder of the can of diced tomatoes, remaining 1½ teaspoons paprika, ½ cup of the sour cream, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Topping/Garnish:

  • 1 T. chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed (fresh is always best)
  • pinch of kosher salt

Combine the remaining 1 cup sour cream with the dill and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assembly:
When the cabbage has baked for one hour, remove from oven. Turn the oven heat up to 375 degrees. Carefully remove the aluminum foil (there will be steam) and set aside. Lay the meatballs in a single layer over the braised cabbage. Pour the sauce over the meatballs. Tightly cover with the saved aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil (again being very careful), raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees and change to convection (if you have a convection oven, that is). Continue to bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the meatballs are fully cooked and the sauce is almost gone. Remove from oven and let rest for 5-7 minutes before serving. Pass the sour cream and dill topping.

The Real Scoop:

To get uniform sized portions, be it cookie dough, meatballs, ice cream, etc., the most reliable method is to use a portion scoop.

Portion scoops, commonly referred to as “ice cream scoops”, are standard-sized scoops used to measure out food, both cooked and uncooked. They have a spring release that scrapes your food/ice cream/cookie dough, etc. out of the scoop as the handle is squeezed. The interesting thing about portion scoops is that they come in strange sizes. For example, a #16 has a 2-inch diameter which is perfect for the meatballs in this recipe and for scooping out muffin or cupcake dough. Many cookie recipes direct you to roll the cookie dough in a 1-inch ball or a rounded tablespoon. That would be a #100.

In addition to the 2 scoops listed above, I routinely use a #60 (1¼-inch diameter) for medium sized cookies, meatballs, etc., and a #40 (1 5/8-inch diameter) for larger cookies or portions.

The number on the scoop basically represents how many “scoops” it would take to fill a quart sized container. Therefore, the larger the number, the smaller the scoop. For practical application however, picking out the right scoop for your needs is as simple as going to a good kitchen shop. Then choosing scoops based on the size of the cookies or whatever else you plan to portion out. The time saved in not having to hand roll cookie dough, all by itself, is well worth the money spent on the scoop. (Oh – for just one nickel for every cookie I’ve ever baked. I would probably be able to buy us round trip tickets to Portland, or to some other fascinating destination.)

2017 JazzVox Oktoberfest Menu:

Appetizers – Viennese Liptauer (recipe on site), cornichons, and 3 types of cheese

Main Dish – Cabbage Casserole with Meatballs

Side – Roasted Garlic, Buttermilk, and Fresh Chive Mashed Potatoes (recipe coming)

Salad – Cucumber and Red Onion Salad (recipe on site)

Bread – Overnight Rye Beer Bread (never made it before, so it may or may not appear on this site)

Dessert – Berry Pie Bars with Cinnamon Whipped Cream (recipe on site)

 

 

 

 

 

CREAMY GERMAN COLESLAW

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I love coleslaw. And everyone I know loves coleslaw. But you can rarely get a decent coleslaw in a restaurant these days. I know, I’ve tried. The coleslaw dressing is usually either flavorless or non-existent, and all you taste is the cabbage, or the dressing has ingredients that don’t seem to go with the cabbage. I really just don’t get it! It’s not like the chef is being asked to build a world class dish here. It’s a couple chopped veggies in a simple dressing, for goodness sake!

So basically, I’ve given up on restaurant coleslaw. When I order fish and chips, I usually try and get a green salad in place of the chips and almost always when asked if I still want the coleslaw, I say no thanks. Perhaps I’m taking the negative approach, but darn it, at my age if the coleslaw I get in restaurants is only good about 1% of the time, why bother? Truly, I have not found a decent coleslaw in a restaurant for decades, so that leads me to believe it’s probably not going to happen again in my lifetime.

So what to do when I want a delicious coleslaw? I build it myself! And this coleslaw that I made recently to go with an Oktoberfest meal is a true winner.

Usually I don’t much care for sweet dressings. But this dressing is absolutely lovely and perfect with rich German food. I found the recipe on the allrecipes site. I added a bit of black pepper to the original dressing recipe and a small amount of red cabbage and carrot mainly for the color. Other than that, the recipe is straight off the site. And I truly can’t wait for you to try it. Just make sure that you grate the vegetables into very small pieces. This helps create the “creamy” consistency that sets this coleslaw apart.

So grate up a Cruciferous veggie or two, an Apiaceae (formerly known as Umbelliferae) and whip up this simple dressing. Mix all together, let marinate in your refrigerator for a couple hours, and prepare yourself for a coleslaw that will knock your socks off.

Now granted, coleslaw is probably never going to be the number one food you request for your 75th birthday celebration. But when done right, coleslaw is just delightful, as well as being an economical alternative to more pricey salads that contain boutique greens and expensive salad dressing ingredients.  And – it’s crunchy. One thing most green salads lack.

So give it a try. And if you really want to go on a coleslaw adventure, there are several other delicious coleslaw recipes on my site. Try them all. Amaze your family and friends. Be the first on your block. Dare to be different. Take the plunge. And have fun – that’s what it’s all about!

  • 3 T. sugar
  • 3 T. cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp. celery seed
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper (not too much)
  • ½ c. mayonnaise
  • ½ lg. head green cabbage, grated (I use my food processor)
  • 1/8 head red cabbage, grated
  • 1 small carrot, grated

Whisk together the sugar, vinegar, celery seed, salt, pepper, and mayonnaise. Pour over the cabbage and carrot, stir to combine, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Stir well before serving.

GURKENSALAT (GERMAN CUCUMBER SALAD)

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I love cucumbers in just about any form. I love pickles (check out my recipe for Bread and Butter Pickles on this site), salads featuring cucumbers (as in Japanese Cucumber Salad – Sunomono and Cucumber and Red Onion Salad, also on this site) and now this amazing salad I worked up for our most recent JazzVox concert. And oh am I glad I decided to feature German food and wanted a crunchy and different side salad to go with my other German offerings. I’m also glad I rarely eat at the same time as our guests. Because, had I started on this salad, there would not have been anything left for others to enjoy!

This is simply my favorite kind of salad. It’s savory, creamy and crunchy all at the same time. And the best part – it needs to be prepared the day before.

Oh how I love food that has to be prepared ahead of time, especially when I have other dishes that need last minute attention and the meal has to be ready at a certain time. (And yes, I fully appreciate restaurant cooks who can get multiple entrées ready at the same time. How do they do that? I can barely manage to get one meal for 25-40 ready to serve at a given time. Maybe that’s why I never became a restaurant chef. Yah think?!)

What I did become however is a person who appreciates good food. (I actually appreciate good food a little too much if my bathroom scale can be believed.) So when I tasted this salad, I knew I had found the perfect balance of salt, sugar, and vinegar absolutely necessary for an authentic German style cucumber salad.

So give this recipe a try. You might want to have a beer close by while you eat this manna from heaven too. And should you happen to be one of those people who look good in lederhosen, you could probably get away without too much ridicule if you hand the person taunting you a bowl of this salad. It’s really hard to bait someone and gulp down food at the same time! Prost!

  • 2 English cucumbers, partially peeled and very thinly sliced
  • ½ onion (yellow, white, or red), thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ c. sour cream
  • 1 tsp. white sugar
  • 2 T. white vinegar
  • 1 tsp. dried dill weed
  • freshly ground black pepper (just a small amount)
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped flat leaf parsley

Place cucumbers and onions in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let rest for 30 minutes. Squeeze excess moisture from veggies. Meanwhile whisk together the sour cream, sugar, vinegar, dill, pepper, and parsley. Add the cucumbers and onions and refrigerate for at least 8 hours; preferably over night.

SAVORY GERMAN BREAD PUDDING WITH MUSHROOMS

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This is the second savory bread pudding I have posted to my blog. They are basically very similar. The recipe entitled Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding however has more of an Italian bent to it. For example, Parmesan cheese is one of the ingredients.

This recipe is much more consistent with a dish that would be served in Germany. Both savory puddings are delicious and a wonderful addition to any meal where the starch needs to be a key player but not become a participant in a “who’s the star” battle with the meat. (I hate it when food starts fighting right on my dinner plate.)

This dish can also be served as a vegetarian main dish. The mushrooms provide that toothsome mouth feel that is so necessary to a good vegetarian entrée.

So by all means, give this bread pudding a try. The sourdough bread gives the pudding a special tang, and the truffle oil – OMG, it really puts the mushroom flavor over the top. And as you can see, you only need 1 teaspoon of truffle oil to enhance the entire dish. But please do not be tempted to add more because of the old theory that if some is good, more is better. (I have never been an advocate of that practice.) Truffle oil is very potent stuff. It must be treated carefully and with great respect. (Think approaching a yellow jacket’s nest without appropriate head gear!) Or if you need a cooking analogy, using too much thyme. Not a good thing even though thyme is a lovely herb and used in many wonderful recipes.

And I know some culinary arts experts are saying that truffle oil is passé. Or if it simply must be used, it should only be used as a drizzle. Well to these experts I say – fooey! In my opinion you can take many dishes to a new level of deliciousness with the judicious use of a drop or two of this amazing ingredient.

Wonderful drizzled over scrambled eggs, in vinaigrettes, almost any dish with mushrooms, and the most decadent use of all – over popcorn along with a little salt.

So if you don’t already own a bottle of truffle oil, don’t hesitate to get yourself a bottle at your earliest convenience. In my opinion, white truffle oil is great as an ingredient or a drizzle. I tend to use black truffle oil only as a finishing oil, in much the same way I might garnish a dish with a light sprinkling of Fleur de Sel.

  • 1 c. very hot water
  • ¼ c. chopped dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 2 T. butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 lb. coarsely chopped mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, button)
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt, div.
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 c. milk
  • 1 c. whipping cream
  • 3 large eggs, room temp.
  • 1 tsp. white truffle oil (Trader Joe’s carries truffle oil certain times of the year or you can purchase on line)
  • ¼ tsp. dried thyme
  • 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
  • 4 c. packed cubed sourdough bread (1 or 2 day old bread is best for this recipe)

Place hot water and dried shiitake mushrooms in a small bowl. Set aside. Melt butter in a medium sized frying pan. Add onion and sauté until soft. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown. Add the garlic and ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper; cook for one minute. Remove from heat and let cool. Meanwhile combine milk, cream, eggs, truffle oil, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley in a large bowl. Gently fold in bread cubes and set aside. Scoop the reserved mushroom mixture into the bowl with the bread cubes. Drain the re-hydrated shiitake mushrooms and add to the mixture. Stir gently and pour mixture into a lightly buttered pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Can be made a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator until about 30 minutes before baking.

 

 

 

 

LIGHT RYE BREAD

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When I think about bread, and I think about bread a lot, my thoughts always drift to the types of bread I have yet to perfect. And light rye has always been one that I could never get just right.

I have a great recipe for pumpernickel, but I could never get a light rye to come out with just that perfect balance of sweet and pungent. And as much as I like caraway seeds in some things, I just don’t like them in rye bread. So never one to be discouraged, I went on line and tried once more to find the rye bread of my dreams. And believe me, there are lots of recipes out there for light rye bread. But only one caught my eye. So I decided to give it a try and see if I could finally check light rye bread off my list. And yes indeed ladies and gentlemen, I made the perfect loaf of rye bread this weekend, thanks to George. I found the recipe on a great blog www.simplyrecipes.com and I recommend visiting this wonderful cooking resource at your earliest convenience. And yes, of course, I changed the instructions to fit my way of bread baking, but the ingredients, except for the optional 2 tablespoons caraway seeds (and yes, you can add them if you must), is right off George’s recipe. So thank you George, whoever and wherever you are, for this amazing recipe. I will send good thoughts your way every time I sit down to a Reuben sandwich or smear soft butter over a warm piece of your incredible bread.

  • 2 T. or 2 pkgs. active dry yeast
  • 2 1/2 c. warm water
  • 2/3 c. molasses
  • 1 T. kosher salt
  • 1/4 c. vegetable oil
  • 1/4 c. cocoa powder
  • 2 c. rye flour
  • 5 c. bread flour
  • cornmeal

In the bowl of a heavy duty mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water; add the molasses. Let proof for about 10 minutes. Add salt, vegetable oil, cocoa powder, 2 cups of the rye flour and 2 cups of the bread flour. Mix until all of the flour is absorbed. Add the remaining 3 cups bread flour until the dough pulls away from the bottom of the bowl and the dough is smooth and elastic. (This step may take more or less than 3 cups of bread flour.) Pour a small amount of vegetable oil over the dough, turning it so it gets coated in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until it has doubled in size, about 90 minutes. After 90 minutes, gently punch down the dough and divide it into 2 equal parts.  Shape each half into a torpedo shaped loaf and place both loaves well separated on a greased baking sheet that has been lightly sprinkled with corn meal. Cover with a clean tea towel. Let rise again for about 45 minutes. Just before placing in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, cut 5 shallow diagonal slashes across each loaf. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when gently tapped.

 

 

SOFT PRETZEL BITES

So once upon a time I went to the Bellevue Mall and saw a shop offering soft pretzels for sale. Being a sucker for soft pretzels I felt duty bound to help this struggling new business get a foot hold in an arena that caters to the terribly sophisticated Bellevue elite. (I only went there about 3 times after is became Bellevue Mall. I was simply not worthy. I felt much more suited to the old Bellevue Square. But I digress.)

So I ordered a plain pretzel and took my first bite. Now, I am not a sugar person. I like salt. And I like bread. And I like butter. And this chewy, salty, savory pretzel was just about the best thing I had ever tasted. And to this day, I simply can’t resist a warm, soft pretzel. So when I was preparing the Oktoberfest menu for our JazzVox (www.jazzvox.com) concert this past weekend, I decided to see if I could locate a recipe. Well not only did I find a recipe, I found the recipe. And through one of the best sites out there for all things baked – www.bobsredmill.com

I of course changed the instructions a bit to make them work for me, but the basic recipe is all Bob’s. Hopefully you too will enjoy preparing this simple recipe for soft pretzels. They are just unbelievably delicious.

  • 2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast  
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 7/8 to 1 cup warm water*
  • 2 c. (or more) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. water
  • 2 T. baking soda
  • coarse salt, kosher or pretzel, opt.
  • 3 T. butter, melted
  • mustard for dipping, opt.

*Use the greater amount in the winter, the lesser amount in the summer, and somewhere in between in the spring and fall.

Combine yeast, salt, sugar, and the warm water in heavy duty mixer bowl. Let proof for 5 minutes. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Pour a little flour in bowl, coat dough, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 30-40 minutes. While the dough is rising, prepare the water and soda bath. Pour water into a medium sized frying pan. Bring water to boil, turn off heat and stir in baking soda, stirring until the soda is totally (or almost totally) dissolved. Allow to cool to lukewarm (or cooler). After the dough has risen for the allotted time, punch down and transfer to a lightly greased work surface. Divide into 8 equal pieces with a bench scraper or a sharp knife. Allow the pieces to rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Roll each piece of dough into an 8-9 inch thin rope and cut in 4ths. Working with a few pieces at a time, place them in the pan with the baking soda/water for 2 minutes, spooning the water over their tops. (This baking soda “bath” will give the pretzel bites a nice, golden-brown color. And yes, they will get a little mushy from their bath, but they will be just fine.)

Place the pretzel bites on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or sprayed with vegetable oil. Sprinkle lightly with coarse salt and allow them to rest, uncovered, for about 10 minutes while you pre-heat the oven to 475 degrees. Bake the pretzels for about 6 minutes. If you have a convection oven, bake them for 4 minutes on the regular oven setting, and the last 2 minutes using the convection option.

OKTOBERFEST BRATWURST COOKED WITH BEER AND ONIONS

Bratwurst, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I’m almost sure that’s the way Elizabeth Barrett Browning originally intended to begin her classis poem, but for whatever reason dismissed the idea before the poem was published. (Perhaps she discovered soft pretzels at the same time and couldn’t decide on which of these two master pieces of culinary delight should be immortalized in her literary masterpiece.) That can be the only reason I can think of that Bratwurst was excluded from her opening sentence.

But regardless, Bratwurst cooked with beer and onions should be immortalized. Therefore, I offer my late great friend Davey Finch’s recipe.

I have also taken the liberty to include Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s wonderful poem. Like good Bratwurst, wonderful poetry never goes out of style. It remains a treasure to be shared with others, and used as a reminder that we live in a wonderful world full of lovely food, great literature and art, amazing music, and treasured friendships. Cheers to Davey Finch and to all our friends who were blessed by his loving and generous spirit.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, — I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! — and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

  • Bratwurst (I use Johnsonville), any amount you want
  • Beer (not light beer, but nothing too dark either – an amber or pale ale works great), a bottle or two depending on how many Bratwurst you are cooking (I use 2 bottles for 20-25 Bratwurst)
  • Chopped onion, ½ large yellow onion for 10 Bratwurst; 1onion for 20-25, etc. etc.

Combine Bratwurst (Brats), beer and onion in a covered pan. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes. Remove Brats from pan and transfer to a pre-heated barbecue. (Reserve the beer and onion liquid.) Grill until nicely browned. Return to beer/onion liquid. Keep warm. Serve with any of your favorite mustards.

GERMAN POTATO SALAD

Every September I love to make at least one dinner that celebrates the fall harvest. And as far as I’m concerned, there is just nothing better than a good old fashioned Oktoberfest menu. Who can resist homemade pretzels, Bratwurst cooked in beer and onions, braised cabbage or coleslaw and of course – German potato salad? Not me, that’s for darned sure! So knowing full well that I am not that different from everyone else, I thought you might enjoy my take on these Oktoberfest classics.

So, I am going to keep my comments to a minimum and post some wonderful recipes for you before the “Oktoberfest” season is over. (Imagine that. Patti keeping her comments short. And they said it couldn’t happen! Hah!)

½ lb. thick-cut bacon, finely diced (I use Fletcher’s Pepper Bacon)

1 c. finely diced white or yellow onion

1/3 c. white vinegar (regular old-fashioned vinegar)

¼ c. granulated sugar

1 T. Dijon mustard

½ tsp. dill weed

¾ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 lbs. cooked Yukon gold potatoes*

paprika, garnish

Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Once crisp, use a slotted spoon to remove it to a large mixing bowl. Add onion to the remaining bacon fat in pan, and slowly cook until translucent and just beginning to brown. Whisk in the vinegar, granulated sugar, Dijon mustard, dill weed, salt, and pepper. Simmer until thick and bubbly, about 10 minutes.

Add the cooked potatoes to bowl with bacon. Pour the sauce over the potatoes and gently toss until potatoes are well coated.  Spoon into a serving dish and sprinkle with paprika. Serve warm.

To make ahead, spoon the coated potatoes into a lightly greased casserole or baking pan, sprinkle with paprika, and allow to cool before covering and placing in refrigerator. About 2 hours before you plan to serve, remove potatoes from the refrigerator. Place on a counter for about 90 minutes and then place in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 30-60 minutes or until warmed through.

*How to cook perfect potatoes for your salad:

Peel, rinse, and cut the potatoes into about ¾-inch pieces. Place the cut potatoes in a large pot. Cover with water (water level should come to about 1-inch above potatoes) and season the water with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are just tender all the way through, about 8-12 minutes. Test after 7 minutes. (Don’t over-cook the potatoes). A paring knife should slide in and out of a potato chunk fairly easily when the potatoes are done.

Drain the potatoes in a colander and let sit for about 10 minutes. Then transfer to the mixing bowl with the cooked bacon.