Meet Dec 15, 2014

CADS

Decemberfest Menu and Recipes

Chef: D. Smith

Sourcing is indicated as follows:

(Source of recipe) if relevant

Source of ingredients:

P – Piazza’s Grocery

D – Dittmer’s Gourmet Meats and Wursthaus

E – Esther’s German Bakery

K&L - K&L Wine Merchants

PAFM – Palo Alto Farmer’s Market

Appetizers

German Salami (D)

Beer Kase (D)

Butterkase (D)

Schwarzbrot and Sportsbrot (E)

Eva Frick Kiedricher Riesling (2013) (K&L)

Main Course

Sauerbraten – (USA Weekend, October 3-5, 2014)

Slow cooker Sauerbraten

(Makes 10 servings)

(*’d items indicate my changes to the original recipe)

(Follow ‘Instructions,’ the meat is marinated first, days in advance.)

Ingredients

4 pounds beef brisket

*4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

½ cup tomato paste

½ cup crushed ginger snap cookies

*1 teaspoon salt, more as needed

1 teaspoon ground black pepper, more as needed

For Marinade

1 cup dry red wine

*I cup cider vinegar

2 quarts water

2 ½ cups sliced onions

8 cracked black peppercorns

*8 allspice berries

2 bay leave

2 cloves

Instructions

Combine the marinade ingredients in a container large enough to hold the brisket.

Trim the brisket of any excess fat. Pat the brisket dry. *Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the meat, all sides. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan until shimmering. Sear all sides of the brisket, 3-4 minutes per side. Remove brisket to platter and set aside to cool. When cool, place in the marinade. Cover and marinate for 3-5 days., turning the meat twice per day.

Remove the brisket to a platter and reserve the marinade. Heat the remaining two tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven over moderate heat. Sautee the onions, carrots, and celery, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about *15-20 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook until the paste is a rust color and smells sweet, about 1 minute. Add the reserved marinade and simmer over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about *30 minutes or more.

Transfer the reduced marinade and vegetables to a slow cooker, and add the brisket. Set the slow cooker to high, cover and cook until tender, 6 ½ to 7 hours.

Remove the beef, *transfer it to a warm oven, and transfer the cooking liquid to a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Add the gingersnaps and simmer until the sauce thickens, about *15 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a pot and keep the sauce hot until serving.

Slice the beef and serve with the sauce.

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Sauerkraut (D)

Use fresh if available. Warm as desired

Spaetzle (D)

Follow instructions on package

Garnish with fresh parsely

Leitz Weingut Rüdescheimer Magdalenenkreuz Spätlese (2012) (K&L)

Friedrich Becker Family Pinot Noir (2011) (K&L)

Salad

Green Salad (PAFM)

Dessert

Apfel Strudel – (allrecipes.com ‘Easy Apple Strudel)

Easy Appel Strudel

Ingredients:

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and coarsely shredded (P)

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled cored, and sliced

*3/4 cup brown sugar

*1 cup raisins (PAFM) – make sure you use plump, juicy ones like you can get at PAFM

1 sheet frozen puff pastry (*made with real butter)

1 egg

¼ cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place apples in a large bowl. Stir in brown sugar and *raisins; set aside. Lightly flour both sides of puff pastry and place on baking sheet. Roll lightly with a rolling pin. Arrange apple filling down the middle of the pastry lengthwise. Fold pastry lengthwise around the mixture. Seal edges of pastry by using a bit of water on your fingers, and rubbing the pastry edges together. Whisk egg and milk together, and brush on top of pastry (*will not use all the liquid!).

3. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown.

4. *Serve at desired temperature – it will be harder to handle if hot, though.

Bollig-Lehnert Trittenheimer Apotheke Reisling Auslese (2002) (K&L)

Deitillerie Kammer-Kirich Black Forest Obstler Apple/Pear Brandy (K&L)